Promises, Promises
by aj81writing NO LONGER IN USE
Summary: AU/AH. At the risk of being deported, Damon Salvatore forces his young assistant to pretend to be his fiancée. How far will they have to go to keep the charade up?
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: New story. I know, crazy, right? Anyways… this is based on the movie The Proposal. If you haven't seen it, you definitely should. One word to describe Ryan Reynolds? Yum! : ) I'm switching the roles to fit the TVD characters, and changing the setting…ok, just basically taking some inspiration from the movie… but I think you'll recognize some of it, at least. Enjoy!_

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><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ I ~

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><p>Three years. Three long years she had worked for Damon Salvatore. Every year he promised her that come next year, she would be promoted. Then when the time came to make good on his promises, he would say "I'm sorry, Elena, you're just too good of an assistant. I can't lose you." She should have learned by now. She should have quit three years ago.<p>

"He's coming, he's coming!" the buzz started around the office.

Elena feverishly gathered the papers on his desk into a neat pile, fluffed the throw pillow on the couch in his meeting room and grabbed his double espresso from her own desk. A high-strung secretary, Rose, flittered past her, causing the hot liquid to spill on her white blouse.

"Damn it," Elena groaned and dumped the Styrofoam cup in the nearest trash can, grabbing a second cup off her desk.

"Morning," he greeted her briefly and took the cup she was holding out for him. He took a sip while glancing over her soiled attire. "Busy morning?"

"I had a little accident, sir."

"I can see that," he noted dryly and sipped his coffee. "Good coffee. But who's Mark and why does he want me to call him?" he raised his eyebrows, an amused look on his face.

Elena frowned. "Sorry?"

He turned the cup for her to read. Scribbled on the Styrofoam cup in permanent marker was the name Mark, followed by a cell-phone number and the words _Call me._

Elena felt a blush creep up. The Starbucks guy was always flirting with her.

"You wouldn't happen to order the same type of coffee as me just in case you spill one of them, would you?" he eyed her curiously, suspecting that was exactly what she did.

"No, not at all. I love strong coffee." Right. She would much prefer a mocha latte, but she refused to let _him_ know that. When she got promoted to editor, she would order whatever coffee she liked.

"I have a meeting with the suits upstairs in 30 minutes," he said casually. "Why don't you go down to the fashion department and get a change of clothes while I'm gone? I can't have my staff looking like something the cat dragged in, now can I? How would that make _me_ look, hm?"

"Yes, sir."

"Excellent. Bring me the Saltzman file, will you? Oh, and come up and get me from Smith's office in say 45 minutes. I have a videoconference in an hour."

"Certainly, sir. Oh, did you get a chance to look over the manuscript I left for you last week?"

"I did. I didn't see the potential," Damon said in a bored tone, looking through his papers.

"All right. I was also wondering…"

"Yes?"

"Well, my brother's wedding's this weekend, and I asked for time off… I didn't hear back."

"I can't spare you. We have the Martin book tour kick-off this weekend. I need you there."

"Oh, but…"

"Elena… if you're serious about your promotion, you'll show me that you have your priorities in order. That will be all," he shooed her away without taking his eyes off the papers on his desk.

* * *

><p>"Ugh, how do you stand working for him?" Caroline Forbes, the junior fashion editor of the Smith Media Group's top selling fashion magazine <em>Flare<em>, said as Elena was looking through their closet.

Elena Gilbert and Caroline Forbes had started working for the Smith Media Group at the same time, but while Caroline had advanced to junior editor, Elena was still stuck in an assistant position in Smith Publishing, reading through a dozen admissions a day, trying to sort out the potentials from the immediate refusals.

"I just keep telling myself that one of these days, he will recognize my potential and promote me," Elena said while trying on a dove grey silk blouse.

"Have you slept with him?"

"Caroline! God, no! Ew!"

"What? He's hot!"

"That's not how I want to get ahead in this world."

"I'm just saying… he might notice you more if you put some effort into your appearance. Wear a push-up bra on occasion, for example," she shrugged.

"I'm not slutting it up to get a promotion, Caroline. Is that what _you_ did?"

"No. But it's different for me. For one, my boss is a woman."

"Forget it. No way in hell will I ever hook up with Damon Salvatore."

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><p>"You wanted to see me, sir?" Damon said as he entered Elijah Smith's office.<p>

"I did, Salvatore. Come in and shut the door, will you?"

"I take it you wish to congratulate me in person on the success with the Saltzman account. I admit, it was a bit of a challenge to get that first book on the shelves, given the content and the genre, but I'm happy to say we pulled it off."

"That's not what we wanted to talk to you about, Damon," Elijah said, a serious tone in his voice.

"It's not?"

"Do you by any chance remember the London Book Fair you were not supposed to attend? As your visa application was pending and you were not allowed to leave the country?" Elijah's second-in-command Klaus Schneider drawled.

"I do… but there was an emergency. I had to fly out."

"I'm afraid the US government disagrees. We spoke with your immigration lawyer and you are being deported. Now, we can re-apply, but you will have to leave the country for at least a year."

"A year? You're kidding me, right? I haven't lived it Italy since I was a little boy! I went to college in the States, for crying out loud."

"Times have changed, Damon. I'm afraid we have no other option but to let you go."

"Let me go? I'm your editor-in-chief. You can't fire me! I can work from the Rome office."

"We can certainly find a place for you there, as an assistant."

"An assistant?" Damon couldn't believe his ears. For ten years he had worked his way up in the publishing world, created a name for himself, and now, because of some stupid paperwork, he was going to lose everything he worked for? "No, there has to be some other way…"

Suddenly, there was a light knock on the door.

"Yes?" Elijah said, annoyed at the interruption.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Mr. Smith. Mr. Salvatore, Luka Martin is on the phone for you, I told him you were otherwise engaged, but he insisted he speak with you before your videoconference."

"Actually…" Damon turned around to look at the vision that was Elena Gilbert, an idea forming in his head as she spoke in her soft, melodious voice. "Please come in, Elena."

Elena frowned but did as he asked and closed the door behind her.

Damon turned to Elijah and Klaus with newfound confidence. "Gentlemen. I understand how my immigration status may be an issue, but there is something you should know…" he walked over to Elena and took her hand in his. "We're engaged."

Elena opened her mouth to protest, but Damon put a finger to her lips. "We were thinking a June wedding."

"Uh… well… isn't this highly inappropriate?" Elijah said. "She's your secretary, after all."

"Assistant, actually. Executive assistant. And can we really help who we fall in love with?" Damon said, giving the two men a look that said he knew exactly what went on behind closed doors.

"Miss Gilbert, are you a willing participant in this?"

A look from Damon said that it was best to play along.

"I am."

"Well, then, just make it legal and I don't suppose we'll have a problem," Elijah said.

"Right. We'll get right on that," Damon said quickly, pulling Elena with him out of the office.

* * *

><p>"What the hell, Damon?" she hissed when they got in the elevator.<p>

"I have a proposal for you."

"What was that about?"

"Sch, we'll talk in my office."

"Don't freaking shush me, Damon," Elena growled. "Tell me what's going on."

"I'm being deported. If we get married, I can stay as editor-in-chief at Smith Publishing while my visa application is re-evaluated."

"I'm not marrying you!"

"Let's talk in my office."

"Damon…"

"Please?"

"Fine. I'll wait until we get into your office to yell at you," Elena huffed and crossed her arms in annoyance.

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><p>"I'm not marrying you," Elena repeated when she had closed the door behind them. "You can't make me. This is sexual harassment," she said with her hands on her hips.<p>

"I'm not forcing you to sleep with me, Elena. I'm forcing you to tell the immigration office that we're getting married."

"Screw you."

"What if I promise you'll get that promotion you're so desperate for? We'll have a quickie wedding and an equally painless divorce, and you will have everything you've worked for."

"No deal."

"Fine. You won't last two minutes after I'm gone. I know who my replacement would be, and she'll have your job like that," he snapped his fingers.

"Who?"

"Katherine Pierce."

"No..."

"Think about it, Elena. All those nights at the office, the missed weekends, the spilled coffees… are you just going to throw all that hard work away?"

"You guarantee I will have my promotion?" Elena looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Absolutely. By this time next year, you'll be a junior editor."

"No. You make me an editor _today_, and we have a deal."

"Impossible."

"Then forget it," she shrugged and moved to leave.

"Wait."

"Yes?" she turned around.

"One month after we're married, I'll make you editor. It will look suspicious otherwise."

"Fine."

"So you're on board?"

"Yes."

"Great. Now we just have to get through this meeting at the immigration office and this whole mess will sort itself out."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Wow! First of all, I have to say I'm amazed at the response for this new story (I've never gotten 20 reviews for a first chapter!) so I sincerely hope I won't disappoint. I'm not planning to stick exactly to the movie, so a lot of things will be different. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! : ) Enjoy!_

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><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ II ~

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><p>"Mr. Salvatore," the bored clerk at the Immigration Office looked at his papers. "Mr. Gilbert's office is through there," he said and nodded to a door to his left.<p>

"Gilbert? Any relation?" Damon looked over at Elena as they stood outside the door to John Gilbert's office.

"Gilbert is a common name," Elena shrugged. "I don't have any family here."

"Good to know," Damon said and pushed the door open. "After you, sweetheart," he said sweetly.

Elena glared at him but entered the room.

John Gilbert was a reasonably attractive man in his mid- to late 30s. Any illusions that his overall appearance may have created about his character were quickly dispelled the moment he opened his mouth.

"Why don't you save us all a lot of time and money and come clean right this second?"

"About?" Damon frowned.

"About the fact that you're using your position as…" he looked at his papers, "… editor-in-chief at Smith Publishing to coerce your naïve little assistant into committing fraud."

"Excuse me?" Elena said sharply, not appreciating his tone and his derogatory comment.

"I don't know what he promised you, Miss Gilbert, but I can guarantee that when this…" he waved his hand "… charade is exposed, you are facing a 250,000 dollar fine and five years in federal prison for your part."

Elena felt her stomach lurch. What on earth had she gotten herself into? Sensing her distress, Damon took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together.

"So, this is what we'll do. You are going to say that you are _not_ engaged to Mr. Salvatore, and you walk out of here a free woman, while Mr. Salvatore gets on the next available flight to Italy. Do we have a deal?"

Elena looked down at their intertwined hands, up at Damon's cerulean eyes filled with understanding, telling her it was ok to back out, and back over at John Gilbert. When she spoke, she did so in a calm, steady voice.

"We're just two people who weren't supposed to fall in love, but did. I'm going to be Mrs. Damon Salvatore and there is nothing anyone can say or do to stop me."

Damon gave her hand a grateful squeeze and John Gilbert looked like he had a foul taste in his mouth.

"Very well, then. Let's get on with the interview, shall we?" John leaned back in his chair and gestured for Damon and Elena to take a seat. "There will be a number of questions you'll have to answer about each other, of course. I'm sure that for two people so much in love such as yourselves, you won't have any problems at all. I'm scheduling a meeting for you with an interviewer. I assume you've told your parents about this joyous union?"

"Actually…" Elena started.

"We were going to break the news this weekend. Elena's brother is getting married, and what better time to bring good news to the family?" Damon said sweetly.

"Oh, really? Where is this?"

"Uh… well, why don't you tell him, sweetheart? It's your family, after all…" Damon turned to Elena.

"Mystic Falls, Virginia."

"How charming," John said sarcastically. "And what about your family, Mr. Salvatore?"

"They all live in Italy these days," Damon said.

"Well, there _are_ phones…"

"Yes, but _nonna_ would never forgive me if I didn't deliver the news in person, and we simply cannot leave the country right now."

"Oh, I'm sure we could allow a family reunion," John smiled sweetly.

"We'll see," Damon said.

* * *

><p>"So, let me get this straight…" Elena said when they had left the Immigration Office and were headed to his car, "I'm supposed to let my family believe I'm marrying you, but you don't want <em>your<em> family to know about _me_?"

"It's nothing personal, Elena. It's just that… well, they're traditionalists, and they don't believe in divorce."

"I'm risking jail time, Damon! The least you can do is take some responsibility for your actions."

"Fine, I'll tell them."

"And I want a real proposal."

"Excuse me?"

"If I tell my parents we're getting married, they're going to want a story about how you proposed."

"So make one up," Damon shrugged.

"Not good enough. I want the real thing," Elena said, her head held high. She couldn't back out of their deal, there was too much riding on it, but she could certainly make him squirm.

"Fine. Dinner tonight. I'll pick you up at seven," Damon said and held open the car door.

"Do you even know where I live?"

"I'll look it up."

"Fine," Elena said and got in the car.

"Fine," Damon huffed and slammed the door shut behind her.

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><p>"Let me get this straight…" Caroline said as Elena was trying on cocktail dresses in the fashion department's closet, "… this morning, you hated his guts, and now you're going on a date with him?"<p>

"It's complicated, Care," Elena said as she pulled a silky fabric over her head.

"It just doesn't make any sense," Caroline shook her head. "You said…"

"I know what I said, ok? I just…"

"Oh, _I_ know what's going on," Caroline's smile widened as a light bulb went on in her head. "You're taking my advice, aren't you?"

"What? No."

"You're totally going out with him for a promotion," Caroline squealed.

"I hate to break it to you, Caroline, but that's not it at all."

"Well, what then?"

Elena shrugged.

"Ok, whatever… wait here, I have the perfect dress for you."

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><p>As Elena looked herself over in the full-length mirror in her bedroom, she had to agree with Caroline. This <em>was<em> the perfect dress. The black spaghetti strapped chiffon dress flared out at the knees, making her long, shapely, tanned legs look even longer. Her silky brown hair had been curled and pulled up in a loose bun, with tresses framing her face. Her long eyelashes were painted an even darker shade of black and her dusty pink lips had just a hint of gloss to them. Oh, she was going to make him suffer. Elena couldn't help a smile from grazing her lips at the prospect of driving Damon Salvatore insane for the next couple of months or so.

The harsh knock on her door made her jump and she smoothed down her dress and checked her hair one last time before opening.

Damon Salvatore looked good in the office, but Elena had to admit he looked even better at night. He was wearing an impeccable suit with a dark grey shirt and he was clean-shaven and wearing a musky-scented cologne. His astonishingly blue eyes widened as he took her in.

"Wow…" was the only sound that left his perfectly sculpted lips.

"You clean up nice, too, Mr. Salvatore," Elena said and grabbed her purse. "Ready to go?"

Damon offered his arm, which she took. "You're not going to make this easy on me, are you?" he said as they headed for the elevator.

"Nope," she said, popping the 'p' and feeling content with having achieved her goal.

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><p>"Ah, Mr. Salvatore, right this way," the head waiter at <em>Isobel's<em> escorted them over to a table set with candle lights and rose petals strewn on the white linen tablecloth. A waitress soon appeared with a bread basket and a bottle of wine and informed them that the first course would be out shortly.

Elena looked around wide-eyed at the softly lit, romantic restaurant with soft classical music playing in the background. She had never been to _Isobel's_ before, it wasn't like she could afford it, or like she even had time to date.

"How did you get a reservation for tonight?"

"Well," Damon said, pouring her a glass of Chianti, "I happen to know Isobel _very_ well, and her nephew is an aspiring writer. I may have promised that anything he submits to Smith Publishing will go to the top of the pile."

"You make a lot of promises," Elena noted. "Do you keep any of them?"

"The important ones," Damon replied in true diplomatic fashion.

Before Elena had a chance to ask him which promises he considered important, the waitress appeared with their _antipasti_, bruschetta with olive oil and prosciutto.

"_Grazie_," Damon said smoothly and flashed the waitress a brilliant smile.

Elena noted how the waitress turned a darker shade of pink and quickly disappeared. "You know… if we're supposed to be engaged, you're gonna have to turn down the charm," she said and sipped her wine.

"Wow…" Damon raised his eyebrows, an amused expression on his face, "are we _jealous_?"

"Not at all. I'm just saying that we need to keep up appearances, no?"

"Agreed. Does that mean I can use all my charm on you?"

"It does not."

"Oh, but I have so much to give," he pouted.

Elena shook her head and laughed. "Well, once we're divorced, you can get right back out there."

* * *

><p>After the main course, saltimbocca, had been consumed, it was time for dessert. As the waitress set down the tiramisu in front of Elena, her eyes narrowed. "Is this safe to eat or am I going to choke on a ring?"<p>

"Oh, come on, Elena, you don't really expect me to be that cheesy, do you?" Damon said with a smirk.

"I really wouldn't know, Damon."

"Well, I guess we'll have a lot of time to get to know each other," he shrugged and dug into his dessert.

When they had finished their dessert, Damon called on the waitress and asked her to bring in their espressos.

"It's your favorite, isn't it?" he winked at Elena as the waitress sat down the cups in front of them.

"Ok, fine, in the effort of full disclosure, espresso might _not_ be my drink of choice."

"I knew it," he said with a smug smile. "Well, to make up for it, you could have my chocolate," he said and handed over the little Hershey's kiss the waitress had brought him.

"Oh, no, that was clearly meant for _you,_" Elena said and sipped her coffee.

"I insist," Damon said and pushed it over to her.

"Oh, fine," Elena rolled her eyes and unwrapped the aluminum foil. Her eyes widened when she didn't find a small piece of chocolate inside, but a white gold Princess cut diamond engagement ring. "Damon…" she breathed.

"We wanna make it look real, right?" he said and sipped his espresso.

"But this is…"

"Exactly the kind of engagement ring I would buy for my fiancée," Damon completed her sentence.

"But how?"

"I also know a jeweler."

Elena let out a small laugh. "Is there _anyone_ you _don't_ know?"

"You."

Elena looked up at him and was astonished to see sincerity in his eyes.

"But I want to."

Elena ignored the sudden release of butterflies in her stomach and swallowed as Damon took her hand in his and slipped the ring onto her ring finger. It was a perfect fit.

"Elena Gilbert, will you marry me?"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Ok, so this is terribly short, but I wanted to give you another update : ) Enjoy!_

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><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ III ~

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><p>The next day, word had gotten around the office, and while news of the engagement earned Damon a few slaps on the back, Elena got jealous glares and whispered remarks sent her way.<p>

"Oh my god, you got engaged?" Caroline practically screamed when Elena picked up her phone.

"Care…"

"How could you not tell me? Have this been going on for long? Were you just pretending to hate him? Oh my god, have you been doing it in his office?"

"Caroline! No!" Elena hissed over the phone, nervously looking around to make sure no-one was watching her. "I'll explain everything later, ok? I gotta go," Elena said quickly when she noticed Damon was on his way.

She went about her normal morning routine, quickly straightening up his office and holding out his coffee as he passed by. But Damon already had his hands full. He stopped at her desk and set down the Starbucks bag, revealing a tray of four Styrofoam cups inside.

"I didn't know which one you liked, so I got a frappuccino, a mocha latte, a caramel macchiato and a cappuccino," he said while taking out the different cups. "Oh, and I took the liberty of informing Mark that you're permanently off the market."

Elena's jaw dropped. He brought her coffee?

"Uh… thanks."

"Don't mention it," he smiled. "Listen, we need to send someone else to the Martin book tour kick-off, since we'll be going to Virginia… can you compile a file that covers everything that needs to be taken care of?"

"Yes. Of course."

"Great. Well, I have meetings all morning, but do you wanna have lunch?"

"Lunch?"

"Yeah. You know that thing between breakfast and dinner?"

"No, I know what _lunch_ is…. I just don't know why you would wanna have lunch with _me_."

"That's what people do when they're in love," Damon shrugged and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Remember we're supposed to be in love?"

"Right… well, I was going to have lunch with Caroline, but…"

"Excellent. See you at noon," Damon smiled, pecked her cheek and went into his office.

Elena sighed and sat down at her desk, trying to ignore the dirty looks Rose and Andie, the office gossips, were giving her.

It wasn't fair. No-one dared say anything to Damon, but they could certainly look down on _her_ for engaging in an office romance. And it wasn't even like there was a policy against it. If this was how she was being treated _now_, imagine what they would say about her when she got the promotion? Elena shook off the negative thoughts. Why did she care what _they_ thought, anyways?

* * *

><p>"So, Elena…" Andie sauntered up to her desk, trailing her finger across the wooden surface. "What did you have to do to get the boss to bring you coffee?"<p>

Elena ignored her, typing on her computer. "Did you need anything, Andie?"

"You know," Rose said to Andie, talking over Elena's head, "I actually thought Elena worked late all those nights because she was so dedicated… but I guess it was Mr. Salvatore that was hard at work."

"Is there a problem here, ladies?" a stern voice drawled from behind them and the two women instantly straightened and scurried off. "Elena, can I see you in my office, please?" Damon said calmly.

"Of course, Mr. Salvatore," Elena said and rose from her desk.

"Wanna tell me what's going on?" he said as she had closed the door behind her.

"What do you mean?"

"I _mean_… why were those women hovering over you just now?"

"Were you listening?"

"No. I was coming back from my meeting and I saw you looking uncomfortable. Were they giving you a hard time about the engagement?"

"I'd rather just get back to work, if you don't mind."

"I'm sorry, Elena. I don't want to see you hurt because of me."

"I agreed, didn't I? I can handle myself, Damon."

"If you say so…"

"I say so."

"Ok, then. It's almost lunch, are you about ready to go?"

"Sure, I'll just get my purse."

* * *

><p>"So tell me about your family," Damon said as they sat down with their sandwiches on one of the benches in the park right outside the office.<p>

"Well, there's my mom and dad, Miranda and Grayson, and my little brother Jeremy. He's the one getting married. To my childhood friend, Bonnie, actually."

"Your little brother is marrying your friend?"

"_Best_ friend. And yeah, it took some getting used to… I have to admit I thought it was a little bit weird when they told me they had started dating, but they're happy together, and so I'm happy for them."

"Are you close with your family?"

"I was. I still am, I guess. It's just… they feel like I don't visit enough."

"Don't all parents?"

"Yeah, I guess. But they're right."

"Why haven't you visited?"

"I've been busy for the last three years."

"You mean I've kept you busy," Damon clarified.

"I moved to New York to pursue my dreams," Elena shrugged. "I'm determined to make them a reality."

"Even if it puts a strain on your relationship with your family?"

"How is _your_ family, Damon? Italy is much farther away from New York than Mystic Falls, Virginia."

"Touché," he smiled. "No, I don't have the best relationship with my family. My father never approved of me going to the States. He wanted me to take over the family business. Now my younger brother Stefan is fulfilling that role."

"Your mother?"

"She always wanted grandchildren. She wanted me to marry a nice Catholic girl and raise a big family. Preferably somewhere close to her and father."

"You lost her?"

"Shortly after I left Italy. My father blames me for breaking her heart. It was cancer, but that doesn't make much of a difference to him," Damon shrugged and bit down on his sandwich.

"I'm sorry, Damon," Elena said sympathetically and placed a hand on his knee.

"It was a long time ago," Damon shrugged but squeezed her hand gratefully. "I still have _nonna_, though."

"Who's that?"

"My grandmother. She taught me everything I know."

"She taught you how to flirt?" Elena chuckled.

"No. She taught me how to romance a woman, how to make her feel special, and most of all, she taught me how to cook."

"Sounds like a great lady," Elena smiled.

"She certainly is. Now, come on, we better get back to work if we're gonna wrap everything up before Friday."

"Friday?"

"You're not gonna miss the bachelorette party, are you? _I'm_ definitely looking forward to the bachelor party."

"Wh- how do you even know…"

"I called your brother and explained the situation, and he invited me to join them."

"You talked to my brother?"

"Just this morning, actually. Which reminds me, would you mind making the reservations? See if you can find a flight out of New York on Friday morning, and… is there a hotel in Mystic Falls?"

"Hotel? No, the closest thing is a B n' B."

"Oh. Ok, well, get us a room there, then."

"You mean _two_ rooms, right?"

"Isn't Mystic Falls a small town?"

"Yes."

"And doesn't people in small towns gossip?"

"As much as anywhere else, I guess," Elena shrugged, still not seeing his point.

"Well, we wouldn't want it getting back to anyone that the oh-so-in-love-newly-engaged couple requires separate rooms, would we?"

"Mrs. Flowers, who owns the B n' B, is like 90 years old. Who is she gonna tell?"

"You can never be too careful…"

"Seriously, Damon, I'm not sleeping in the same bed with you."

"Then I guess you've got dibs on the floor," he smiled sweetly. "Now, let's go before the office gossip kicks into high gear," he said and tugged on her hand.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: As you've probably noticed, I'm straying further and further away from the movie. I hope you like my Proposal-inspired fic. I'm having a lot of fun writing it, and I LOVE reading your comments. About the people you're about to meet in this chapter… I had initially planned for Miranda Gilbert to act very differently, but apparently this is just the way she is… who knew? *shrugs* Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ IV ~

* * *

><p>Elena leaned back in the generously sized seat while sipping the champagne the stewardess had brought them. She had tried to book Economy class, but Damon wouldn't hear of it. Then he had to go and tell everyone that they just got engaged and order champagne to celebrate.<p>

"You mind taking it down a notch?" Elena said in hushed tones.

"What, sweetheart?" he smiled at her.

"_That_. Damon, seriously, aren't you going a little too far with this?"

"We want to make it look believable, no?"

"Yes, but…"

"Then why wouldn't I want to tell the world I'm marrying this beautiful woman," he said, his voice raised for the last five words, making sure no-one in first class missed his proclamation.

"Ugh, just… promise you won't act this way when we get to Mystic Falls, ok?"

"I promise, I'll behave."

"Why do I find that so hard to believe?" Elena sighed.

"So tell me more about your family. After all, they're going to be my new in-laws."

"Well… my dad's a doctor. He has his own practice. My mom's an artist. She spends long days at our lake house, painting. She donates her work to charity. Mystic Falls is big on charities. She bought me my first journal, pushed me into writing. She's the reason I love books so much."

"But your dream is to be an editor?" Damon frowned.

"Yes. I love writing, but I don't feel I'm good enough to pursue it as a career. Editing… it lets me be a part of the creative process, and I couldn't think of a better career. What about you? What made _you_ go into publishing?"

"I've always had a gift for editing. My little brother kept a diary – _journal_, he called it – and I would proofread it and leave him little comments in the margins. Especially on his excessive use of adjectives."

"You did _not_!" Elena giggled and punched his arm.

Damon laughed. "Yeah, I kinda did… but, no, it wasn't an early expression of my editing abilities. I only did it to mess with him. I don't know, I was always an avid reader, I guess. And my father hated the arts, so of course I _had_ to study that."

"You said your father wanted you to take over the family business. What was it?"

"Winemaking. Castello di Salvatore is one of the largest wineries in Tuscany. I'm not sure how much of it really makes it onto the market, though. Father probably drinks it all himself," he muttered under his breath.

"Sorry?"

"Nothing. So, is your brother more like your father or your mother?"

"My mom, definitely. He's a great artist. He does artwork for a couple of magazines."

"And your friend? Bonnie, was it?"

"Yeah. She's an herbalist. She has a little shop where she sells herbal teas, essential oils, extracts and other stuff for medicinal purposes."

"Oh, so she's a witch?" Damon said and sipped his champagne.

"No," Elena rolled her eyes.

"Ok, so… anything else I need to know before I meet your family?"

"Nope, can't think of anything."

* * *

><p>"Mom, Dad, hi!" Elena exclaimed when she spotted her parents at the airport. She embraced them both, then pulled back. "I didn't know you were coming. We were going to rent a car."<p>

"Oh, nonsense," Miranda Gilbert said. "Jeremy told me which flight you were coming in on and we just had to come pick you up. So where's this boyfriend of yours?" she said, eagerly looking around the arrivals hall.

"He's getting the luggage," Elena said dismissively, "but mom, there's something you should know…"

"Oh, Jeremy told me your little secret – you fell for someone at work, didn't you? I should have known there was a reason you never came home over the holidays, always blaming the boss for riding you so hard, when really, you were dating someone. Where did you meet him? Is he an editor, too?"

"Actually, mom…"

"There you are, sweetheart," Damon said in his velvety voice, setting down their suitcases beside her. "Who are these lovely people?"

"Mom, Dad, this is Damon Salvatore. My boss."

Miranda's delighted smile faltered and Grayson Gilbert, who up until this point had said nothing, reached out his hand. "Grayson Gilbert. You and I are going to have a serious conversation when we get home."

"Uh… home? Dad, we're staying at the B n' B."

"You most certainly are _not,_" Miranda huffed. "This weekend is about family, and families stay together. I know that may be a foreign concept to you these days, but that's the way it's always been."

"But I made reservations…"

"Oh, please, Mrs. Flowers won't even notice you're not there. Her eyesight isn't what it once was," Miranda said determined and marched out of the airport.

Elena gave Damon an apologetic look. He shrugged and picked up the bags. "After you, sweetheart."

Elena rolled her eyes and followed her parents outside.

* * *

><p>"Mr. Salvatore can stay in Jeremy's old room," Miranda said as they entered the house.<p>

Elena didn't know why, but she felt like objecting to the arrangement. It wasn't as if she _wanted_ to share a room with Damon, but her mother's cold attitude towards her supposed boyfriend was unsettling.

"I'll show you where it is," Grayson offered, took one of the bags and headed upstairs.

"Mom…" Elena said tentatively, "Is there something bothering you?"

"You mean apart from the fact that I barely hear from you in years, and then I have to hear from your brother that you're bringing a date to the wedding, and then he's your _boss_? Elena, I'm worried about you. He is so much older than you are…"

"Mom, I'm 25 years old… he's 33, that's hardly an age difference."

"You're still my little girl…"

"I know, mom," Elena said and took her mother's hands in hers. "And I'm sorry I've been so caught up in my life and I haven't been in touch as much as I should have, and…"

"Elena?" Miranda said pensively.

"Yes, mom?"

"What's this ring on your finger?"

* * *

><p>Grayson Gilbert set down the suitcase he was carrying on the floor in the guest room, which had once housed Elena's little brother.<p>

"Well, I suppose there comes a time in every man's life when he is forced to ask this question… what are your intentions with my daughter, Mr. Salvatore?"

"Well, sir… I intend to marry her."

"Say what?"

"I realize this may come as a shock to you, sir, but I would… _we_ would very much appreciate your blessing."

"And if I refuse to give it?"

"I know Elena will be disappointed, but nothing will stop me from marrying your daughter… sir."

Grayson Gilbert's expression was inscrutable. Damon wondered if he played poker, because he would surely excel at it.

After what seemed like quite a few tension-filled minutes, the façade cracked and a smile settled on Grayson's face as he heartily slapped Damon's back. "Good answer, son."

* * *

><p>"You're getting married and you didn't even see it fit to tell me you were dating?" Miranda's voice cried out just as Grayson and Damon were making their way downstairs.<p>

"Sweetheart, go easy on the girl," Grayson said, placating his wife.

"But, Gray, she's…"

"Engaged. Yes. And I have just given them my blessing."

Elena couldn't help herself. She went over and wrapped her arms around her father. "Thanks, dad," she said, smiling. She looked up and caught Damon's gaze over her father's shoulder. This was all a sham, Elena reminded herself. This wasn't her dad accepting the man she loved, this was her deceiving her family. It was all a charade. She found herself inexplicably saddened by that realization.

"I'm sorry to break this up, but I'm supposed to be meeting the groom at…" Damon looked at his Blackberry, "… the Mystic Grill. Is that somewhere close?"

"I'm going there myself," Grayson said. "I'll take you."

"Excellent. Sweetie, aren't you supposed to meet Bonnie tonight?"

"Uh… yes, we're meeting at her house in an hour."

"I'll see you later, then," he kissed her cheek. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he winked.

"That gives me a lot of leeway," she muttered under her breath, careful not to let her parents hear.

* * *

><p>Elena spent the next hour getting ready for Bonnie's party. She decided on a plum colored wrap dress that was both casual and dressy and left her hair straight. She got Bonnie's present out of her suitcase and headed over to her friend's house.<p>

Bonnie inherited her grandmother's house a few years back and she and Jeremy moved in together. Now the house was teeming with people. Bonnie's parents had come in from out of town, as well as a couple of cousins.

Elena took a deep breath before knocking on her future sister-in-law's door. She hadn't been the best friend to Bonnie these past three years. Her work consumed all her energy, and even if she had tried to call Bonnie every week during her years in college, those once-a-week calls had gradually turned into once-a-month calls and once-a-year calls.

Her fears were quickly dispelled, though, when the door flew open and Bonnie wrapped her up in a tight embrace. "'Lena! You're here!" Bonnie was positively glowing. Her dark locks framed her mocha-toned heart shaped face and her almond shaped eyes brown shone bright. "You look amazing," she said, stepping back and looking Elena over properly.

"So do you," Elena said emphatically. "You look really happy, Bon."

"I am," Bonnie beamed. "Now, come on, there are some people I'd like you to meet."

* * *

><p>"Here we are," Grayson said and pushed open the door to the Mystic Grill.<p>

Damon paused in the doorway to take in his surroundings. The Grill was a nice-looking restaurant with a generously sized bar, a small stage and dance floor, and pool tables.

"You comin', son?" Grayson said over his shoulder when Damon didn't make a move to enter.

"Uh… yes, of course," Damon snapped out of his thoughts and followed Elena's father over to a table where a group of guys with enormous pitchers of beers in front of them were seated, talking and laughing. Damon could instantly tell which one of the four men was Elena's brother, Jeremy. He had the same olive skin, the same dark hair and the same chocolate eyes, albeit set in a masculine face.

Damon's suspicions were confirmed when the young man greeted Grayson with "Dad!"

"Hello, son. I see you've already started the party."

"Well, if you moved a little bit faster, old man…" he joked.

"Watch it, son. I'm still young enough to beat you at football."

"No offense, sir," a dark-haired, muscular man said, "but that hardly counts. My grandma can beat Jer at football."

"Ouch," Jeremy laughed. Then his eyes found Damon, lingering behind Grayson. "Oh, hey, you must be Damon," he said and rose from his seat, extending his hand over the table. "Glad you could make it."

Damon returned the handshake. "Thanks for inviting me. Here…" he said and handed over a gift box. "I wouldn't open it in here, though."

Jeremy peered inside the box. "Scotch? I like you already, man. Everyone, this is Damon Salvatore. Elena's boyfriend."

"Fiancé, actually," Damon corrected him.

"Really? Dude, that's awesome," Jeremy said and went over to Damon to give him a hearty slap on the back.

Jaws dropped around the table at Damon's announcement and he noticed how all eyes fell on a blonde, blue-eyed, young man. He was the first of the other three to speak, standing up and extending his hand. "Hey, I'm Matt. Welcome to Mystic Falls."

After he had sat back down, the others visibly relaxed and introductions were made all around. The dark-haired, muscular man was Tyler Lockwood, and the bleached blonde surfer type next to him was his uncle Mason, visiting from Florida.

"Pull up a chair," Jeremy said to Damon, as Grayson had already taken a seat at the table.

* * *

><p>After a couple of hours, Damon was confident that he now knew all there was to know about the young men at the table and had formed his opinion on them. He had also acquired a bit of a buzz. Damon was no stranger to partying, but for the past five years he had been completely dedicated to his work and 'letting loose' hadn't really been an option. It came easily to him, though, and as he was buying the rounds, he was also becoming quite the popular guy.<p>

When a group of girls, equally inebriated as the guys, came through the door to the Grill, Damon's eyes were immediately drawn to the stunning brunette in the plum colored wrap dress that hugged her curves much like he wanted to. Then he caught himself. That was _not_ allowed. They were only getting married to get him a green card, and she had only agreed because she wanted the promotion he'd been promising her for years. Lusting after his assistant was _not_ ok. He briefly hoped that Elena and her friends wouldn't see him, but that flicker of hope was quickly extinguished when Jeremy spotted his wife-to-be.

"Bon!" he hollered. "Over here!"

Oh, great, Elena thought. Couldn't she go _one_ night without having to put on a charade for all her friends? She hated lying to them, to her family, but mostly she hated lying to herself. As Damon insisted on telling _everyone_ they were engaged, and acting accordingly, a part of her had started to believe it, too. She constantly had to remind her heart that this was nothing more than a business agreement. If they both fulfilled their promises, he would have a green card and she would have a promotion.

"Hi!" Bonnie said, walking up to the table, dragging Elena with her. "I didn't know you guys would be here," she said and kissed his cheek.

"It's not exactly like there's a strip club within a five mile radius of here – and no-one volunteered to be the designated driver," Tyler pointed out.

Elena rolled her eyes. "I see nothing's changed… hi, Ty," she smiled and they hugged.

"Good to see you again, 'Lena. How've you been?"

"Good. Thanks. You?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Vicki's pregnant, it's our third."

"Wow. Congratulations."

"And congrats to you. I hear you finally tricked some poor guy into proposing," he winked.

"Behave," she punched his arm. "Hi Mason," she turned to the surfer. "How's Florida?"

"Wet and wild," he smirked.

"O…k…"

"Hi, 'Lena," Matt said, walking over to her. "You look good."

"Hi, Matt," she replied, a hint of sadness to her voice, and hugged him.

"What? I don't get some love?" Jeremy said, feigning hurt.

"Jer," Elena broke out in a big smile and wrapped her arms around her baby brother. "I can't believe you're all grown up!"

"Yeah, you miss out on a lot when you're not looking," Jeremy mocked.

"Be nice," Bonnie admonished him.

"Oh, come on, Elena knows I'm just messing with her. Don't you, sis?"

"I suppose I've earned it. I _did_ drop him when he was a baby a couple of times," she stuck out her tongue at him.

"So, when are you going to properly introduce me to your fiancé?" Bonnie said to Elena, nodding towards the only man at the table she didn't recognize.

"Who? Oh… sorry… Damon, this is Bonnie, my soon-to-be sister-in-law."

"Pleasure," he said, taking Bonnie's hand in his and planting a feather-light kiss on the back of her hand.

"Ooh, quite the gentleman," Bonnie cooed at Elena. "Lucky girl."

"Yeah, she is," Damon winked and wrapped an arm around Elena's shoulders.

"And there's the arrogance… care to revise your statement, Bon?" Elena said.

"I'll give it some thought," Bonnie smiled. "So what are we drinking?"

"I see where this is headed," Grayson cleared his throat and rose from his seat. "I'm gonna go home to my wife. You kids have fun. And Jer – remember you got an early day tomorrow."

"Yes, _dad_," Jeremy laughed.

"Goodnight, kiddo. I gave Damon a key, so don't worry about waking your mom or me up, ok?" Grayson said and kissed Elena's forehead.

"Goodnight, dad."

"Damon," Grayson turned to his future son-in-law, "take care of my little girl."

"Sure will," Damon smiled in return. Grayson patted his shoulder before leaving.

"Wow, you certainly won dad over," Jeremy commented. "I don't ever remember him being so easygoing when Elena was dat… uh… yeah, who's up for another round?" he looked around the table.

"I'm just gonna go to the ladies' room," Elena excused herself. "Order me a vodka lime, will you?" she said to Damon, who nodded and went with Jeremy to get their drinks.

* * *

><p>When Elena returned to the table, Tyler and Mason were off dancing with Bonnie and her cousins, Lucy and Joanna and Damon and Jeremy were still at the bar. Which left Matt.<p>

Elena took a seat. "So… how've you been?"

"I actually own this place now."

"The Grill? Wow. I didn't know that."

"No, I guess you wouldn't…"

"Matt…"

"What are you doing with that guy, 'Lena?"

"Damon?"

"Yeah. Mr. Big Shot Boss Man. How long have you two even been dating?"

"It's pretty new…"

"And you're already engaged? You don't see anything wrong with that?"

"Matt…"

"I know his type, 'Lena. My mom's dated enough rich men for me to recognize someone who's just trying to own you. What do you even know about him?"

"I'm sorry that I hurt you, Matt, but my relationship is really none of your business."

"You've got some nerve coming back here with a fiancé, when your sole reason for breaking up with me was that you wanted to pursue your career. Now you're marrying into it?"

"Ever stop to think that that might not have been my only reason? We were great friends, Matt, but you know as well as I do that what we had… it wasn't…"

"Passionate. Is that what you were going to say? I wasn't passionate enough for you? I guess hooking up with your boss is a little more exhilarating for you."

"Don't do this, Matt."

"Do what?"

"You've obviously had a lot to drink tonight… this isn't _you_, Matt."

"How would _you_ know? You left, 'Lena. You just left and never looked back."

"Matt…"

"Hey… everything ok here?" Damon came up to them with their drinks.

"Just dandy," Matt said sarcastically. "If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go dance."

"What was that about?" Damon said as he sat down beside Elena.

"Leave it, Damon. Listen, I'm getting really tired… do you wanna stay? I could leave the door open if…"

"No, of course I'm coming with you. Let's go," he said and rose from his seat.

"I'm just gonna go say goodnight to Bonnie and Jer, ok?"

"I'll wait outside."

* * *

><p>"So…" Damon said as they were walking back to the Gilberts', "I take it you and Matt have history?"<p>

"You picked up on that, huh?"

"I'm perceptive that way," Damon smiled.

"It's been a long time since I last saw him. He never drank. His mom and sister were kinda… out there, and Matt was always the responsible one. He had obviously been drinking tonight, and the things he said… I didn't know I hurt him that much by leaving."

"Well, I don't know what happened between you two, but I can imagine losing you _would_ kinda suck."

"Uh… thanks, I guess."

"You're welcome."

"So, did you have a nice time tonight?"

"I did. It's been a long time since I've spent a night just hanging out."

"Yeah, me too…"

"So, are you looking forward to tomorrow?"

"I am. I can't believe my little brother is getting married."

"Speaking of… um… when do you wanna…"

"Right… forgot. Well, we should probably just go down to city hall when we get back to New York, get the paperwork over with," Elena shrugged.

"I would think you'd want a proper wedding…" Damon frowned, "considering the fact that you insisted on a real proposal."

"I only did that to mess with you."

"I see…"

Damon and Elena fell silent and it wasn't until they reached the Gilberts' porch that Elena broke the silence.

"Honestly… I don't think I could stand to have a proper wedding for a sham marriage. It feels wrong."

"City hall it is, then…"

"Good."

"Good."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Sorry this is incredibly short, but I really wanted to update and it seemed like a good place to end the chapter… Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ V ~

* * *

><p>"Do you, Jeremy Gilbert, take this Bonnie Bennett…"<p>

Elena wiped a stray tear as her brother and her best friend said their vows and exchanged wedding bands, pledging their lives to one another. Marriage was a sacred institution, how could she stand up and vow to share her life with Damon when there was no 'til death do us part' for them? No, it would have to be a civil marriage. No family, no friends, just a piece of paper and two signatures. A pure business agreement.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Cheers broke out in the audience as Jeremy and Bonnie sealed their deal with a kiss. Another upside to a civil marriage – no kissing required. Her eyes met Damon's across the aisle briefly and she wondered if he was thinking about their upcoming nuptials, as well.

It was a beautiful summer's day, and the ceremony took place outside, by the falls that gave their little town its name. Sheer tents had been set up and tables set with white linen table cloths and candelabras. Lockwood Catering, the catering company Vicki ran, had taken care of all the arrangements.

The color scheme for the wedding was white, gold and brown. The bridesmaids' dresses were gorgeous copper brown taffeta that came to the knee. Bonnie wore a Vera Wang champagne taffeta gown. Her bouquet was made up of cream mini-callas and chocolate brown cosmos. Gilded oak leaves were used as place cards. It all made for a warm, vibrant atmosphere and Elena couldn't picture a more perfect wedding for her brother and best friend.

* * *

><p>"Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert invite you to join them on the dance floor," the band announced, and the wedding party filed onto the hardwood floor, which had been lain just for the occasion.<p>

"May I have this dance?" a velvety voice drawled in her ear and Elena looked down to see Damon's outstretched hand, palm up.

"Of course," Elena smiled for the benefit of the people watching them and let him lead her onto the dance floor. To all the other guests, Elena was the sister of the groom and Damon the future Gilbert son-in-law. To her, this was all a part of the charade. When Damon's strong arms led her across the dance floor, though, it seemed a little less of a fraud. Elena pushed back the thought that just like the engagement ring fit her finger; _she_ molded perfectly into Damon's arms. It must be the atmosphere, Elena decided. Weddings could make anyone sentimental.

"Are you having a good time?" Damon asked, snapping Elena out of her musings.

"It was a beautiful ceremony," Elena said.

"Yes. It was," Damon agreed.

"The caterers have done a wonderful job," Elena added.

"Yes. They have."

They were capable of making polite conversation. They could be civil to each other. They could even be friends. Elena knew she should be happy they were on the same page – no feelings involved – but instead she only felt empty. She was dancing with a gorgeous man who had asked her to marry him, and she was grateful they were on speaking terms. What was wrong with this picture?

"That's not what I asked, though," Damon said softly.

Elena blinked. She had gotten lost in her thoughts again. What had he asked her? As if he knew what she was thinking, he clarified, "I asked if _you_ were having a good time."

"It's my brother's wedding. The bride is my best friend. I'm thrilled for them."

"Yet you look like you're a million miles away. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Elena mumbled, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Elena…"

Just then, the song came to an end and Elena took the chance to disappear into the crowd. She somehow managed to avoid Damon for the next hour or so, dancing and laughing with her old friends. She even danced with Matt, who apologized profusely for his behavior the previous night.

"I don't know what came over me, 'Lena. I was completely unfair to you and incredibly rude to Damon. I can see he cares about you."

"Yes," Elena said for lack of better words. She didn't know how Damon felt about her, and it wasn't really all that important. The less feelings were involved, the better.

* * *

><p>"Time to throw the bouquet!" someone announced and the single girls rushed over to huddle behind Bonnie, who stood with her back turned. Elena kept her distance. Technically, she was no longer single, nor did she want the attention. Clearly, Bonnie didn't care about those things, and she purposely sent the bouquet flying in Elena's direction. Elena instinctively grasped at the object being flung at her, and caught the bouquet. Cheers erupted among the guests, and when Jeremy sent the garter straight into Damon's hands, the crowd urged them on, practically chanting. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"<p>

Elena felt her face turn crimson as Damon walked over to her, a look on his face that said 'what the hell, right?' Elena looked over to seek support in Bonnie – she knew Elena wasn't a fan of PDA – but her friend was beaming and nodding in encouragement. Elena gave Damon a look that said 'ok, fine, let's just get this over with'.

He cupped her face in his hands and brought his soft lips in contact with hers. It was a brief, chaste kiss, but it sent shockwaves through Elena's body. Oh, crap. Elena looked into Damon's eyes as they broke apart, and she saw the same confusion there as she suspected he saw in hers. She quickly averted her eyes and turned to Bonnie, as if to say 'happy?'.

* * *

><p>At the end of the night, Elena was exhausted. When her parents said they were calling it a night, she jumped at the chance to join them. She did <em>not<em> want to walk home with Damon.

After having said goodnight to her parents and an awkward goodnight to Damon, Elena went into her old room to change out of the dress. She felt sweaty and grimy and decided on a shower. As she let the warm water rain down on her, she found herself hoping that it would wash away the feelings that the kiss had stirred up inside of her. No such luck. She turned off the water and reached out to grab a towel. She was just tucking it around her and stepping out of the shower when the door opened. She let out a small shriek and grasped her towel tightly, making sure it wouldn't unravel.

"Damon! Didn't you hear the water running?"

He looked as surprised as she did, taking out his headphones. "Sorry, I was just listening to some music. I came in to brush my teeth…"

"Oh," Elena said, shame-faced. "Well, I should have remembered to lock the door…"

"I didn't mind…" Damon wiggled his eyebrows.

"Ugh!" Elena exclaimed, throwing a brush at him.

"Hey, watch it!" he said, catching the brush before it hit him. "You might break something."

Elena couldn't help to notice his chiseled torso, as his upper body was on full display with his pajama bottoms riding low on his narrow hips. Elena huffed at the self-satisfied smirk that appeared on his face as he caught her looking. "Good night, Damon."

"See you in the morning, sweetheart," he mocked as she slammed, and locked, her door.

* * *

><p>"Where's Damon?" Elena asked when she walked into the kitchen the following morning, seeing a plate with half-eaten pancakes and an empty chair at the table.<p>

"He got a call. He took it outside," Grayson said and munched on his blueberry pancakes.

"Huh," Elena said and sat down. She was curious, of course, but it was really none of her business who he was talking to.

"So…" Miranda said, picking at her plate, "I suppose you won't want my help with planning your wedding…"

"Oh, mom… you know I'd love for you to be a part of my wedding, but we're actually going to…"

"Italy," Damon cut her off, entering the kitchen.

Elena turned to look up at him.

"_Nonna_ really wants to meet you," he said and kissed Elena's cheek. "We're leaving tomorrow morning."

Elena's jaw dropped. "Damon… a word?" she said, rising from the table. He walked over to the living room and Elena followed him there. "What's going on?" she hissed.

"Apparently, that immigration officer decided to check up on us – starting with my family. Imagine my father's surprise when he had to hear from a complete stranger that his eldest son was getting married. He demands we come for a visit."

"What? _Now?_ It's impossible, Damon. There's too much to do at the office. We can't go to Italy."

"We don't have much of a choice, Elena."

"You _could_ just say no, Damon," Elena said, her hands on her hip.

"Father says _nonna_ is demanding to meet you. Sophia Salvatore is not a woman you ignore, no matter _how_ old you are."

"Well, tell them we can't go. Are you even allowed to leave the country?"

"That's the other thing…"

"What?"

"John Gilbert somehow managed to get an invite. He and my father apparently hit it off, and he is going to Italy with us. To observe."

"Are you freaking kidding me? That annoying ass of a man is going to be _spying_ on us?"

"This is serious, Elena. If he finds proof that we're faking… we're both in a _lot_ of trouble."

"How did I let myself get swept up in this?" Elena shook her head, pacing the living room and running a hand through her silky hair.

"Hey," Damon said softly, gently grabbing her arm to get her to look at him. "Everything is going to be fine," he said reassuringly. "He won't find anything."

"You can't promise that."

"We _will_ convince him that we're madly in love, Elena, no matter how many times I have to kiss you to prove it."

Elena suddenly became acutely aware of his proximity and the way her heart raced whenever he was near. No, there could be no more kissing between them. She averted her eyes and moved away from him.

"For how long?"

"Two weeks, tops."

Elena raked a hand through her hair again. "Two weeks in Italy?"

"Could be worse, right?" Damon shrugged.

"I don't see how…" Elena muttered.

"Elena…"

"Ok. But you have to promise me something."

"What?"

"Promise me you'll stop with your flirty little comments and that eye-thing that you do. I get that we have to keep up appearances around other people, but there's really no need for it when we're alone."

"What eye-thing?"

"Just promise, ok?"

"Ok."

"Ok, then. I guess I'll go pack."

"I'll call the airline. We'll fly back to New York tonight and fly out again tomorrow morning."

Elena nodded and went upstairs, her breakfast long forgotten. Two weeks in Italy with a man whose piercing gaze sent shivers down her spine and whose touch burned her skin like wildfire. Great. Just great.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: I apologize in advance for any factual or linguistic errors here. I do not speak Italian, so Google Translate has been my advisor on this and forthcoming chapters. I have never been to Tuscany, only to Rome, and so Wikipedia and the Internet at large will be my tour guide for this story. Castello di Salvatore is obviously a fictional place, located somewhere in Tuscany. Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ VI ~

* * *

><p>"Mr. Salvatore. Miss Gilbert. How nice to see you again," John Gilbert said in a faux-pleasant voice with an equally fake smile plastered on his face.<p>

"I would say the same," Elena said curtly, "but I wouldn't want to deceive the US government, now would I?"

"Feisty little minx, isn't she?" John said to Damon, only infuriating Elena more.

"I'd watch my tongue if I were you," Damon said between clenched teeth and took a step forward.

"Now, Mr. Salvatore, that wouldn't be you threatening a federal officer, would it?"

"I'm sure the US government would be very interested in how you address one of its citizens," Damon said, a warning tone in his voice.

"The US government also takes an interest in suspected fraud, so I would watch my tongue if I were you, Mr. Salvatore."

"Flight 1864 to Peretola now boarding at gate 9," a female voice announced over the speakers, thankfully interrupting the tension building between the two men.

"That's our flight," Damon said and flashed a loving smile at Elena for John's benefit. "Come on, sweetie," he picked up his carry-on and offered his arm to her.

Elena, knowing she was under scrutiny by John, slipped her arm through Damon's and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I can't wait to meet your family, honey."

John Gilbert rolled his eyes as he followed the couple onto the aircraft. It was an act, he was sure of it. Taking down someone like Damon Salvatore would be a feather in his cap, for sure. It might even get him that promotion he'd been gunning for.

* * *

><p>Damon had, of course, made sure that he and Elena had tickets for first class, and John was stuck in coach. He also made sure that John was sent a complimentary glass of champagne to celebrate their upcoming wedding.<p>

"How are you doing?" Damon said in a low voice as Elena had spent the last hour or so staring out the window.

"I'm nervous, Damon."

"About…?" he gestured towards the back of the plane.

"No. Yes, but… I'm scared to meet your family. What if they hate me?"

"They could never hate you, Elena. Besides, what does it matter?"

"Well, I want your family to like me."

"Why?"

"Well… I… I just want people to like me," she shrugged, looking back out the window.

"Your mom didn't particularly like me," he shrugged.

"No, she was just… she was angry with me for… well, for a lot of things. I haven't been the best daughter to her."

"She wants to be a part of your life," Damon deduced.

"Yeah…"

"Did you tell her we were planning on a civil marriage?"

"No. I was about to when you walked in and announced we were going to Italy."

"Are you sad we didn't get to spend more time with your parents?"

"No. We were only supposed to stay the weekend, so… Honestly, I was relieved to be going back. I don't think I could have stayed a minute longer in that house with them asking questions about the wedding, about us…"

"But your friends? You hadn't seen them in years, right?"

"Well, since Bonnie and Jer left for their honeymoon right after the wedding, there wasn't really anyone I wanted to spend time with left in town."

"Not even Matt?"

"Matt? No. Why do you ask?"

"I just… I saw you dancing with him at the wedding."

"He apologized for the way he acted. He said he could tell you cared about me."

"I do, you know," Damon said with sincerity in his voice.

"What?"

"Care."

"Snacks?" a blonde flight attendant offered, interrupting what had quickly become a serious conversation.

When the flight attendant moved on to the next row, Elena seized the opportunity to quickly change the subject.

"So, tell me about _nonna_."

"Well, she's a great cook. She raised five children, practically on her own. I'm sure she'll tell you all kinds of scandalous stories about her youth, so I won't spoil your fun."

"Does she speak English?"

"Fluently. I'm sure she'll tell you _that_ story as well," Damon smiled.

"You're being awfully cryptic. How can you be so sure she'll even want to talk to me?"

"She'll love you, I know she will. I can't make the same promise regarding my father, though. He's a hard man, and he's always favored my younger brother. As I am an heir to the estate, he'll have concerns you're marrying me for money. He couldn't imagine anyone wanting to marry me for _me_."

"He said that to you?" Elena frowned.

Damon shrugged. "It's nothing I haven't heard before."

"That's awful, Damon," Elena said sympathetic and squeezed his arm.

"I just want you to be prepared. He won't be rude to you if I'm around or he'll make the acquaintance of my fist."

"Damon! You wouldn't!"

"Oh, I would. Father and I have a lot of unresolved issues. I won't bore you with the details, but I promise you, as long as you're by my side, he won't be saying anything to hurt you."

"I guess I won't be leaving your side, then…" Elena gave him a weak smile. "At least not during the day."

"What do you mean?"

"You told me your family was traditionalists. My family isn't, but mom still insisted we stay in separate rooms, so at least we won't be expected to share a bedroom at your house."

"Uh… yeah… about that…"

"Damon?"

"Well, my mother _was_ a traditionalist. Like I told you, she wanted me to marry and have children. My father is traditional in the sense that he wanted me to take over the family business. They all agree that divorce is not an option once you're married. But they're also passionate people, _nonna_ especially. I told you she taught me to romance a woman. She won't be expecting us to stay in separate rooms. In fact, I think she'd insist we don't."

"Well… since this is _your_ house, and you were going to make _me _sleep on the floor in Mystic Falls, I guess you've got dibs on the couch."

"That's only fair," Damon shrugged.

Elena nodded, got out her book and leaned back in her seat.

"For the record…" Damon whispered in her ear, "… I wasn't gonna make you sleep on the floor."

Elena tried to ignore the way her whole body reacted just by feeling his breath on her neck, and focus on her reading. It took her a few moments to cool down and be able to answer him in a steady voice.

"You're still sleeping on the couch."

* * *

><p>"<em>Benvenuto, signor Salvatore<em>," a middle-aged man with graying hair and a mustache greeted them in the arrivals hall.

Damon shook the man's hand vigorously. _Bello verdeti, Roberto_, he said, smiling. Then he turned back to Elena and John, who were waiting a few steps behind. "Elena," Damon reached for her hand. "I'd like you to meet Roberto Rossi. He is my father's driver, and he would sneak me and Stefan cookies from the kitchen when _nonna_ wasn't looking."

"_Ah, signor Salvatore, vostra nonna_ was looking."

Damon laughed. "Figures."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Rossi," Elena said and extended her hand.

Robert took it and kissed it. "_Il piacere è tutto mio_."

Elena looked over at Damon with a puzzled look. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "He said the pleasure was all his."

"Oh. _Grazie_," Elena smiled at the man, who proceeded to take their luggage out to the car.

When they got outside, Damon frowned. Roberto was loading their luggage into the trunk of a small Fiat.

"Roberto… this car does not fit four people and our luggage…"

"Signor Salvatore was very clear about which car to take," Roberto said apologetically. "I took the liberty of ordering a car for you," he nodded towards a black Ferrari parked behind the Fiat. "I thought perhaps you would wish to show _la bella donna_ the countryside."

"You thought right, Roberto," Damon said, a wide grin on his face. "Don't worry, I'll make sure father never knows it was your idea."

"_Grazie mille_," Roberto inclined his head.

John frowned as Roberto gestured for the Fiat, where he got to share the backseat with the majority of their luggage and couldn't stretch his legs for the whole three hour ride.

Meanwhile, Damon got comfortable behind the wheel of the Ferrari, with Elena by his side, and gunned the engine.

"You know," Elena got out, "I'm not exactly getting to experience the countryside with you driving this fast."

"I'll slow down soon. We'll be entering a hillier region, so I can't drive as fast there, anyways."

"Oh, ok…"

* * *

><p>Elena gazed out the window at the spectacular view of mountains, vineyards and green pastures as Damon decreased the speed. "It's breathtaking," she breathed.<p>

"It is, isn't it? I forgot how beautiful it is here."

"How far is your family's estate?"

"It's about a three hours drive from the airport."

"But haven't we been…"

"Driving for longer than that? Yeah… I'm not really ready to go there yet. I wanted to show you something first."

"What?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?"

"Damon…"

"You showed me yours, I'm going to show you mine."

"Excuse me?" Elena chuckled.

"Oh, get your mind out of the gutter, Elena," he rolled his eyes and looked over at her with a smirk on his lips. "I'm talking about the waterfalls," he said and gestured out the window.

Elena turned her head to look and gasped. "Wow."

"These are the thermal springs of Tuscany. I thought you might like to get freshened up after the flight."

"I would… but my bathing suit is in my suitcase. In Roberto's car."

"It is?" Damon said, bummed out.

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"I saw him put it in the Fiat…"

"Well, I guess you weren't paying much attention, then," Damon shrugged and pulled over to a parking lot.

He popped the trunk and took out Elena's suitcase and his own carry-on.

"You had swim trunks in your carry-on?" Elena raised her eyebrows.

Damon shrugged. "Never hurts to be prepared, does it?"

"You never cease to amaze me, Damon Salvatore," Elena shook her head while opening her suitcase and getting out her bikini.

"I'd say that's a good thing," Damon smirked.

"Yes. You would…"

"Now come on, let's get you wet," Damon said, closed the trunk and took her by the hand, sprinting towards the changing rooms.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: I was going to jump straight over to their arrival at the estate, but thanks to BadBoysAreBest's review, instead, we pick up right where we left off. Or, almost…_

_Ok, those of you following me on Twitter or reading my LJ posts will know that I struggled with the decision of what kind of character Stefan would be in this story, as I had two different directions to go in, which could result in two very different types of stories – drama/romance or fluffy romance. I do love my drama…__you'll see what unfolds over the next couple of chapters. I hope you'll like it too : )_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ VII ~

* * *

><p>When Elena got out of the changing room, Damon was already waiting for her outside, lounging against the wall. She couldn't help but notice the way his eyes roamed her body in the black bikini she was wearing and felt a blush creep up.<p>

"Are you done ogling?" she quipped, walking past him.

"Uh…" Damon found himself at a loss for words.

"Coming?" she looked over her shoulder, eyebrows raised.

Damon took the challenge in her eyes as an invitation and gave chase, catching her right before they reached the water and pulling her in with him.

"Hey!" she yelped as they crashed into the water, his arms around her waist.

They got a few glares from other visitors at the springs, but when Damon called out _innamorato_, the glares turned to bright smiles.

"What did you say?" Elena asked as she put some distance between them.

"That we're in love," Damon smiled.

"There's really no need for that here," Elena rolled her eyes.

"Practice makes perfect, right?" Damon winked, wading closer to her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Damon…"

"What?"

"Don't touch me."

Damon instantly let go, moving away from her. "I'm sorry."

Elena wanted to explain herself, but she couldn't. It was best if he thought that she didn't want him touching her because there was nothing between them. Admitting that his every touch had her aching for more would _not_ help keep their feelings out of this arrangement. And if she was going to walk away with her heart intact after this whole charade was over, she had to keep her distance.

"We should probably get going," Elena said. "Your father might wonder where we are."

"Wouldn't want to keep father waiting," he said dryly, but got out of the water.

"I didn't bring a towel," Elena said as she was wringing out her hair.

"There's a spa a few minutes from here, I'll get us some towels," Damon said and gestured towards the car.

Elena didn't want to put her clothes back on while she was still wet, so she got in the car still in her bikini.

Damon got behind the wheel and tore out of there, his hands clutching the steering wheel to the point that his knuckles were turning white. He kept his eyes on the road ahead, refusing to let his gaze wander to Elena's toned, tanned legs on the seat next to him as it would lead to thoughts about how he wanted them wrapped around him. She had made it perfectly clear this was nothing more than a business arrangement. Who was he to force the issue?

* * *

><p>When they pulled into a small road lined with cypress trees leading up to a large estate with surrounding vineyards, Elena gasped. "Your family owns a castle?"<p>

"What did you think 'castello' meant?"

"I don't know… I just thought it was a name. I've never heard you mention it."

"Why would I? Like I said, I walked away from it."

"Yes, but… wouldn't 'I have a castle in Tuscany' make for an effective pick-up line?"

"Maybe if I wanted a woman who was only after my money," Damon shrugged. "I don't have to try that hard to get women to sleep with me, you know."

Elena bit her lip. No, he wouldn't, would he?

"_Signore Salvatore, Signorina Gilbert_," a young woman with jet black hair and stunning green eyes greeted them at the door. "_Signore Salvatore_ awaits you in the study," she said timidly.

"_Grazie, Rosa_," Damon smiled and took Elena's hand, tugging her with him into the house.

Elena smiled at Rosa, who gave a slight curtsey and scurried off.

"Rosa's mother helped care for mother during her illness, and I suppose Stefan kept her on after."

"Your brother? I thought your father…"

"Called all the shots? Well, he does, but he's grooming Stefan into running the house and the business."

"Oh, I see."

"You ready?" Damon asked as they came to stand in front of a heavy oak door.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Elena said and took a deep breath.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

"Come in," a muffled voice came from behind the door.

Elena almost flinched at the sight. John Gilbert and what must be Damon's father sat in plush leather chairs, sipping what looked like scotch. Two pair of cruel eyes turned on them. No wonder the two men seemed to have hit it off – they looked equally displeased with the arrival of Damon and Elena.

The man she assumed was Damon's father rose from his seat. His hair was graying, but you could tell it had been ash blonde when he was younger. He had green eyes and a strong jaw. He didn't look a thing like Damon. He approached them with determined steps, but there was nothing of Damon's grace or feline movement to his stride. Pride. That was the word that encapsulated the man before her, Elena found herself thinking. He carried himself with stubborn pride. She instantly disliked him.

"_Signorina Gilbert_, I presume," he said in a drawl, while looking her over with contempt. "John tells me you are my son's secretary."

"Executive assistant," Damon said before Elena had the chance to think of a reply.

"Did he promise you a promotion?"

Giuseppe's cold green eyes bore into her and sent a shiver down Elena's spine, and not the kind of shiver that she got from Damon's touch. Elena couldn't help gulping. She felt a blush creep up at the way he was looking at her, but she didn't have a chance to refute his opinion before he carried on.

"My son makes many promises. Keeping them has never been his forte."

Elena stole a glance at Damon and saw he was seething. She could feel the tension in the room; it was thicker than the cigar smoke that permeated the study. She glanced at John, who sat back in his chair with a cruel smile on his lips.

"Actually, sir," she said in a steady voice which surprised even her, "your son has only promised to love me, and he has kept that promise every day we've spent together."

Giuseppe Salvatore stared in disbelief at the young woman before him. No-one ever corrected him. No-one. He looked over at John, who raised his eyebrows in an 'I told you so' expression. Feisty, indeed.

"You are late," he turned to Damon with a scowl.

"We took a little detour," Damon said, shrugging.

"I expected you here hours ago."

"Well, I see you and Mr. Gilbert have spent your time wisely," Damon said dryly. "Did he tell you I'm using Elena to get a green card?"

"He informed me that you are both risking serious charges for fraud, but I have managed to reach an agreement for you."

"You have, now?" Damon scoffed.

"You will stay here and take over the estate like you were supposed to, and your little… _secretary_… will go back home and live her life as if none of this ever happened."

"You have it all figured out, don't you?" Damon said between clenched teeth.

"Someone has to clean up your messes," Giuseppe said, his head held high. Then his eyes narrowed. "You haven't gotten her pregnant, have you? I have no interest in providing for a bastard grandchild."

_Punch_.

Elena's jaw dropped as she took in the scene before her. Damon was shaking with rage, his fists clenching at his sides, a small trace of blood on his knuckles corresponding to the bleeding nose on Giuseppe's face.

"Father, I…" the man in the doorway froze. "Damon?" he said in disbelief.

Damon, seeing that his father had gone over to get a handkerchief to wipe his face and down another tumbler of scotch, turned around to face the dark blonde, green-eyed, broad shouldered man.

"Hello, brother."

"Damon!" the man's face lit up and he embraced his brother.

Elena watched them, thinking that _this_ was clearly Giuseppe's son. He shared all the same features as his father, but perhaps exuded a little less arrogance and pride in his stance.

"Wha-", the younger Salvatore looked over his brother's shoulder and saw his father's bleeding nose. "Damon… what happened?"

"Father was being inappropriate," Damon said, his head held high.

"You're here for five minutes and you manage to get into an argument with him?" Stefan raised his eyebrows. "What did he say?"

"He insulted my fiancée," Damon said, reaching for Elena's hand. "Elena, I'd like you to meet my brother. Stefan Salvatore, this is Elena Gilbert. The woman who has agreed to be my wife," Damon introduced him.

A flicker of surprise passed over Stefan's Romanesque features, then a smile settled on his lips and he brought her hand to them. "Pleasure to meet you, miss Gilbert."

"Please, call me Elena," Elena said, smiling uncomfortably.

"Father said you were engaged, but I must admit, I had trouble believing it…" Stefan turned to Damon, his eyes still on Elena.

"I pinch myself every day," Damon smiled.

"So how long are you here for?" Stefan asked, looking between the two.

"Two weeks, as per requested," Damon said, glaring over his shoulder at Giuseppe.

"Good. That gives me the chance to get to know my lovely sister-in-law," Stefan flashed a brilliant smile in Elena's direction.

"Sorry, _nonna_ got dibs on her," Damon said, flinging his arm over Elena's shoulder.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to get acquainted," Stefan winked at Elena.

She frowned. Why did she get the feeling that Damon's arm around her shoulder was more a display of possession than anything else? Did the brothers have a history of sibling rivalry when it came to women? She certainly didn't feel comfortable with the way Stefan was looking at her. Elena shook off her errant thoughts, she was being ridiculous.

"Damon," she looked up at him, "I would like to freshen up. Would you mind…?"

"Yes, of course," he smiled. "I'll be right back," he said to Stefan and led Elena out of the study and up the stairs.

* * *

><p>Their luggage had already been brought to the guest room that was set up for them. The space was mainly occupied by a large four poster bed. There was a flat screen TV on the wall, some art pieces and two dressers.<p>

The en suite bathroom was just as big as the bedroom, with floor to ceiling marble, a frameless shower enclosure with a built-in seat, his-and-hers sinks and a Jacuzzi against the window.

Elena looked around, wide-eyed. "This is gorgeous," she breathed.

"It used to be _my_ room. It was a great place to entertain," he smirked.

Elena looked out the large window by the Jacuzzi, which overlooked the gardens. Not a curtain in sight. "Uh… Damon…"

"It's a one way window," Damon smiled at her confusion. "No-one can see inside, unless you flip this little switch right here," he pointed to a panel on the wall.

"Really?"

"Really."

"So… about your father…"

"He won't bother you."

"How can you be so sure?"

"He's an ass, but since I grew up, he knows he can't take me in a fight anymore."

"I don't want you to fight your father because of _me_."

"We have other issues."

"I get that. But don't add _me_ to that list, ok?"

"I'm not gonna stand by and let him insult you. What you're doing for me… I can't thank you enough. I know you're risking a lot by just being here, but…"

"I'm not going back on my word, Damon. I promised I would see this through, and I will."

"Elena, I…"

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

"Who could that be?" Damon frowned and went to open.

"_Caro! __Perché non __hai lasciato __mi conosci__ quando sei arrivato?_" a grey-haired woman around Damon's height exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him.

"_Nonna_!" Damon exclaimed and held her tight. "_Mi sei mancato."_

"I have missed you too, _caro_. Now, introduce me to your _bella donna_," the elderly woman demanded.

"Of course, _nonna_. Elena, I'd like you to meet my grandmother, Sophia Salvatore."

"_Piacere, cara,"_ the woman beamed and kissed Elena's cheeks. "Call me _nonna_. I want to know _all_ about you."

Elena smiled at the welcoming woman before her. Her long dark grey hair was tied back in a braid that almost reached to her lower back. Her blue eyes were slightly lighter than Damon's, which could be the effects of age. She was clearly a great beauty in her youth and her skin was still remarkably smooth. Sophia Salvatore exuded strength and resilience. She reminded Elena of Damon. She instantly liked her.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Again, I apologize for any language errors – Google Translate is my friend here… I'm also probably messing up history here, but I thought it would be fun. Hey, it's fiction, right? : ) Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ VIII ~

* * *

><p>"I suppose I'll leave you two ladies, then," Damon excused himself.<p>

"Good. We have many things to talk about," Sophia said and smiled at Elena. "Come, _cara_, let us talk in the kitchen. I am making _pici_ and _aglione_ for dinner. We cook, we talk," she smiled and hooked her arm into Elena's.

"I'd love to, but I must warn you, I am not a good cook," Elena said as Sophia led her downstairs.

"_Assurdità_! Everyone can cook. It only takes practice," Sophia gave her arm a reassuring pat and ushered her into the kitchen.

It was a rustic style kitchen, with a rusty burnt terra cotta orange color scheme. Copper cooking utensils hung from the ceiling, along with bulbs of garlic and dried herbs. A large wood farm table was placed in the middle of the kitchen and used for food preparation. Bright colored dishes and earthenware vessels were kept on open shelves. A large armoire serving as kitchen pantry was embellished with large exposed rustic hinges and decorative iron latches. The kitchen screamed warmth and love and it put a smile on Elena's face.

"Nice, no?" Sophia said as she was pulling on an apron. She handed one to Elena, as well. "The kitchen was always my favorite place on the estate, aside from the winery, _certo_," she winked.

Elena frowned, not understanding what Sophia meant, and put on the apron.

"You should ask Damon to show you the winery, _cara_," Sophia winked. "It is lovely."

"Isn't a winery just a warehouse with a lot of barrels and bottles?"

"Yes. But our winery also has a lovely hayloft. Giuseppe is a product of my first visit there."

Elena's jaw dropped. Did Damon's grandmother just tell her... no... she wouldn't just tell a random stranger something so personal...

"I have shocked you," Sophia deduced from Elena's expression. "I assure you, it is all true," she said and dumped a ball of dough on the table, which had been generously dusted with flour.

"I was only a teenager when I met Angelo Salvatore. He was older, of course, the eldest son in the Salvatore family. His eyes are what drew me in. They were blue like the Cala Grande, but they would shift to green when he was angry. Angelo was a passionate man. I was at a party one night and I was being asked to dance by all the young men. Angelo watched from the sidelines, and as the night grew longer, he got more and more impatient. You see, he was engaged to Alessandra De Luca, and he was not allowed to dance with another woman. Instead, he took me back to the winery..." Sophia smiled in fond remembrance. "Ah, those hands..." Sophia kneaded the dough and rolled it out to a thick, flat sheet, and asked Elena for the cutter.

Elena found the cutter and handed it over, mesmerized by the woman in front of her. Damon had certainly been right about her.

"So, I say, tell Damon to show you the winery," Sophia winked.

Elena blushed and tried to cover her embarrassment with asking what exactly _pici_ was.

"This," Sophia said, rolling one of the strips between her palm and the table, forming a thick pasta, slightly thinner than a pencil, "…is _pici_. It does not have to be perfect. Try it," she said and gestured to the table where several strips were waiting to be rolled.

Elena washed her hands and tentatively approached the dough.

"It will not bite you," Sophia said. "Go on."

Just then, Rosa came into the kitchen with tears in her eyes. She almost turned around when she saw Elena, but Sophia called her over. They started speaking rapidly in Italian, and Elena couldn't make out a single word. All she understood was that Rosa was incredibly upset over something and Sophia was not pleased, but comforting. Their discussion ended with an embrace and Rosa scurried off.

"Is… there a problem?" Elena asked tentatively, not sure if her question would be considered nosy and inappropriate.

"Rosa just came from the doctor. She is pregnant." Sophia sighed and shook her head. "I told the girl 'no glove, no love' and still she lets him… _ah, dio mio_!"

"Uh… I'm sorry," Elena said, not knowing what to say.

"It will be all right. It is not the first time…" Sophia shook her head. "Now let's start on the sauce."

* * *

><p>"Something smells delicious," a velvety voice drawled from the doorway when Sophia and Elena had just finished seasoning the <em>aglione<em>.

"Ah, _caro_!" Sophia exclaimed, gesturing for Damon to come over. "You take over. Show her what I showed you, hm?" she raised an eyebrow, conveying to Damon exactly what it was she wanted him to do.

Damon laughed and kissed her cheek. "_Grazie, nonna_."

"You are in good hands," Sophia said to Elena and handed her apron over to Damon before exiting the kitchen.

"What was that about?" Elena looked up at him as he took the spoon and started stirring the sauce, releasing the aroma of garlic into the air.

"What do you know about spices?" Damon asked instead of answering her question.

"Well, I know to put oregano on pizza," Elena shrugged.

"Would you like a lesson in Tuscan spices?"

"Sure, why not?"

Damon turned the stove off and led her out into the small kitchen garden, overflowing with herbs and berries.

"This right here… is basil," he said and tore off a piece, holding it out for her to smell. "This… is rosemary… sage… and pepper mint." He tore of pieces of each herb and handed them over to Elena. "Let's sit down," he said and gestured to a little stone bench in the garden.

Elena sat down and leaned back against the stone wall separating the kitchen from the garden, letting the sun warm her face and the aromas from the garden spices fill her nostrils.

"Keep your eyes closed, ok?" Damon said.

Elena gave him a suspicious look but closed her eyes.

"Rosemary…" he started, holding it out directly under her nose, "in Latin is _ros marinus_," he moved to trace her cheekbones with the sprig, "it means 'dew of the sea'. It was said to be draped around Aphrodite when she rose from the sea."

Damon heard Elena's breath hitch slightly at the feather light contact on her skin and he moved to trace her lips with the herb.

"When burned," he continued, "rosemary gives off a distinct mustard smell, as well as a smell similar to that of burning wood, and it can be used to flavor foods while barbecuing."

Damon removed the sprig and pulled off one of the leaves, bringing it to her lips with his index finger. "It's bitter and highly aromatic." He touched her bottom lip, making her part her lips ever so slightly, and placed the leaf there.

"Rosemary is a love charm," he whispered in her ear as he resumed tracing her features with the sprig, moving down her neck. "Where rosemary grows in abundance, the woman rules the household. The woman is the one in control."

"Is that why _nonna_'s garden is filled with them?" Elena asked in a shaky voice, her eyes still closed.

"Damon! Where are you?" a voice shouted from inside the kitchen, snapping Elena back to reality and her eyes flew open.

"What the hell, Stefan?" Damon growled as he made his way back inside, tossing the sprig on the bench beside Elena.

Elena remained on the bench for a moment, collecting herself. It was the sun that was sending her blood into a boil, she was sure of it. The sun was the only reason she felt flushed. It had absolutely nothing to do with Damon. She licked her dry lips. No, nothing at all to do with him.

When Elena felt she was able to stand up without her legs giving out, she headed into the kitchen, where Damon and Stefan were discussing something in Italian, vigorously gesturing with their hands. When she entered, the conversation came to a halt.

"Elena," Stefan said smoothly, "Father is requesting Damon's presence, and I wondered if you would like to accompany me for a tour of the winery?"

Elena's expression fell. She couldn't get Sophia's words out of her head and she did _not_ want to go to the winery with Stefan if that was what he had in store for her. Then she caught herself. This was Damon's _brother_, for crying out loud. He wouldn't put the moves on his brother's girlfriend. She was being ridiculous. Maybe the sun was frying her brain. Elena felt her forehead. Yup, definitely burning up.

"Actually, I'm feeling a little lightheaded. I think I've been out in the sun for too long. Would you mind if I took a nap before dinner?" she looked at Damon.

"Of course not, sweetie," he said. "You should drink plenty of fluids, though," he said, his voice filled with genuine concern.

"I will, I promise," Elena gave him a weak smile.

"I'll have Rosa bring you some water," Stefan said.

Elena frowned at the look the two brothers exchanged, but she chalked it up to sunstroke. She was probably just imagining things.

As Elena made her way upstairs she could hear the argument starting up again. Brothers, she shook her head. She and Jeremy had had some loud fights back in the day, too.

Elena dug out an oversized T-shirt from her suitcase and slipped it on, getting under the covers of the queen-, empress- or whatever-sized bed. She soon discovered it was far too hot to sleep under the thick covers and threw all of them off, save for a thin sheet. The sheets themselves were cool and relaxing against her overheated skin.

After a little while, there was a timid knock on the door and Elena called out, "Come in."

Rosa entered with a pitcher of ice water and a tall glass. "_Acqua per voi, signorina_."

"_Grazie, Rosa_," Elena smiled and slipped out of bed, taking the tray from her.

"_Prego, signorina_," Rosa curtsied and scurried out of the room before Elena had a chance to say anything else.

Elena wanted to ask the young woman how she was doing, but it really wasn't her place, was it? Elena was certainly not used to having other people cater to her every need, and even though the Salvatores didn't seem to be entirely dependent on hired help, it still seemed foreign to her. She poured a glass of water and drank it all in one long gulp. She really _must_ be dehydrated.

* * *

><p>After another tiring conversation with his father and John Gilbert, where they both tried to convince him to come clean, Damon went upstairs to ask if Elena wanted to come down for dinner. He tapped gently on the door, and when there was no response, he edged the door open.<p>

He found her fast asleep on the bed. She had kicked off all the covers save for one milky sheet, who was draped over half her body. One of her magnificent legs had broken free of its silken prison and he couldn't help admiring the smooth, tanned surface.

Realizing she would probably freak out if she caught him looking at her while she slept, he approached the bed and gently touched her shoulder. "Elena," he said softly, "wake up, sweetie."

Elena stirred and let out a small moan. Damon gritted his teeth. "Elena," he said a little louder.

"Huh?"

"Hey. How are you feeling?"

Elena slowly sat up in bed. "Uh… a little dizzy."

"Here," Damon said, pouring her a glass of water and holding it to her lips.

She took it from him and drank. "Thank you."

"Would you like to come down for dinner?"

"Uh… yeah… sure. When?"

"Twenty minutes or so?"

"Yes. I'll just have a quick shower first, if that's ok?"

"Take your time," Damon said and left the room.

* * *

><p>As Elena walked into the dining room, she felt all eyes were suddenly on her. She had put on a flowery sundress that reached just below the knees and showed off her now tanned olive skin. She had pulled up her hair in a high ponytail and tied a ribbon around it. She looked young and fresh and drew the attention of all males in the room.<p>

Elena shifted, slightly uncomfortable with the attention, and was grateful when Damon rose to pull out a chair for her next to him.

"How nice of you to join us, Miss Gilbert," Giuseppe drawled.

Elena glanced over at Damon with an anxious look in her eyes. Had she kept them waiting long? Damon shook his head in silent reply to her unspoken question. Ignore him, his eyes told her.

"Dinner is served!" Sophia proclaimed, entering the dining room with a large earthenware vessel of steaming hot pasta and sauce.

"So, Mrs. Salvatore," John Gilbert turned to Sophia halfway through the meal. "How do you feel about your grandson's upcoming wedding?"

"I could not be happier," Sophia replied with a warm smile directed at Elena.

"And how do you feel about your grandson permanently taking up residence in the United States?"

"I would be overjoyed to have my grandson here with me, along with his lovely wife and many great-grandchildren, but Damon will make his own decisions in life. He has always been strong, and I admire that greatly about him. I am so happy to see he has found a woman as brave as him to love."

Elena felt her eyes brimming with tears at the older woman's affectionate description of her. What would she think of her when they divorced in a short while after their wedding? Damon, noticing her distress, reached out and took her hand, squeezing it gently.

"Yes, brave she is indeed," Giuseppe took a swig of his wine.

Thankfully, Stefan changed the subject and started telling John about the vineyard and the winery, and Elena could swallow her tears along with her wine.

* * *

><p>When dinner was coming to an end, she went into the kitchen to offer to help with the dishes. Sophia agreed and handed her a towel.<p>

"Your English is almost perfect, _nonna_," Elena said as she was drying a plate. "Damon said you speak it fluently…"

"And he told you to ask me how, no?"

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Elena said quickly.

"_La Dolce Vita_ – do you know the term?"

"It's a movie?" Elena guessed.

"True. But in Italy, the era of _La Dolce Vita_ – the sweet life – stretched between the 1950s to the 1960s. There was a big growth financially, and many foreign politicians and actors came to spend their holidays in Italy. They expected luxury and a taste of the Italian lifestyle. Angelo had died in a farming accident just weeks before a young man arrived at the castle, looking for inspiration for his next film. He was an Italian, and he told me that he was working with several American actors to create a film to capture the essence of _La Dolce Vita_. I told him to go to Roma. It worked out well for him, I think, and they asked to rent the castle for a party to celebrate that they had finished their film. One of the Americans was very curious about the winery, and I showed it to him. He stayed for many months and I learned his language. He learned mine, too," she winked.

Elena was again rendered speechless by Sophia Salvatore. She wondered how many stories of lust and love this woman had to tell.

"So you see why I enjoy the winery so much, _cara_. It holds many fond memories for me."

Elena nodded.

"Now, go upstairs to your _innamorato_, _cara,_ and I shall finish the dishes. My days of passion filled nights may be over, but yours are merely beginning."

Elena found herself blushing. Again. She thanked _nonna_ for dinner and went upstairs. She wasn't surprised to see the bedroom empty. Damon was probably still talking to Stefan or arguing with his father.

The room was still warm, so Elena dug out the thinnest pajamas she could find – a silky, lace trimmed camisole with matching boxers. She threw the heavy covers on the floor and one of the pillows on top of it. Damon was definitely sleeping on the floor. She crept under the thin silken sheet and drifted off to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: I just have to say thank you to all of you lovely people who have left me such great reviews. Reading them really makes my day : ) A special thanks goes out to __**carillon14**__, who has gracefully offered to help with the Italian translations. I am having so much fun writing this story and I'm so happy you're enjoying reading it : ) I think you'll recognize a scene from the movie in this chapter, albeit slightly different…_

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><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ IX ~

* * *

><p>Damon was <em>not<em> in a good mood. He had sat through what seemed like an endless lecture from his father about his family responsibilities before Giuseppe finally dozed off from the wine he'd been guzzling all night. Stefan and John had retreated to the library to play cards and let Damon and Giuseppe argue in peace.

Damon was wondering why on earth he agreed to come back to Italy for two weeks when he passed by the kitchen on his way upstairs and heard _nonna_ humming. Hearing her voice turned his frown into a smile and he entered the kitchen to see her preparing the bread for tomorrow morning.

"_Caro_, why are you not upstairs?" Sophia said, looking up from her dough.

"I wanted to spend some time with my _nonna_," Damon smiled.

"Ah, nonsense! Why you want to stand here talking to an old woman when you can be upstairs making love to your beautiful _fidanzata_?"

"_Nonna_…" Damon shook his head.

"Tomorrow night, you take her to the winery, yes?"

"Why are you so invested in my love life?"

"My strength may be dwindling, but my heart is strong. And my hearing is perfectly fine."

Damon looked at her, puzzled.

"I hear Giuseppe talking to that… vile man from the government. They make plans for you. I do not like it."

Damon looked over his shoulder to make sure they were alone before walking over to Sophia and lowered his voice to a whisper. "What did you hear?"

"They say you only get married to stay in the country. They say that Elena is your secretary and you force her to help you."

"_Nonna,_ I…"

"But I see the way you look at her, and the way she looks at you. I have seen those looks before, and every time they were directed at me I would end up with hay in my hair."

"She doesn't feel the same way, _nonna_," Damon shook his head in defeat.

"_Caro!_ Look at you! How could she resist? You have my dear Angelo's eyes and hair, his passion and kindness," she affectionately stroked his cheek. "Your brother inherited his other traits," she said sadly and resumed her kneading.

"Stefan's a good man. He shouldered my responsibilities when I left. I owe him a lot."

Sophia looked up at him with burning eyes. "Keep Elena away from him. Far, far away."

Damon frowned. "Why would you say that?"

"He is trouble, Damon. You have been away, you haven't seen…" Sophia shook her head. "Go to her and make her yours. Before it's too late."

"_Buonanotte, nonna_," Damon kissed her cheek.

"_Buona fortuna, caro_," she winked.

Damon shook his head on his way upstairs. _Nonna_ was seeing things that just weren't there. Stefan was _not_ like their father and Elena didn't want him. Every time he got close, she would push him away.

Damon opened the door to their bedroom and found the covers and blankets on the floor, a pillow thrown on top of them. No, Elena didn't want him. Sighing, he stripped down to his boxers and lay down on the floor.

* * *

><p>Elena sat up in bed, harshly awakened by a sharp knock on the door.<p>

"Are you decent?" a voice asked.

Elena looked around in confusion and spotted Damon sleeping on the floor. "Damon!" she hissed. No response. "Damon!" Elena threw a pillow at him, to which he sat up in bewilderment.

"What the hell?"

"Someone's at the door," Elena hissed.

Another knock proved her right. "I'm gonna count to three and then I'm opening this door," the voice warned.

"Stefan," Damon growled.

They exchanged looks and then Damon got off the floor, threw the covers onto the bed and climbed in beside her. Elena gasped when he spooned her and glared at him over her shoulder.

"It's morning," he shrugged, "and you're not exactly helping with this flimsy little outfit you have on," he smirked and tugged on the strap of her camisole.

"Stop it," she hissed and swatted his hand away.

"Oh, fine," Damon sighed and draped his arm around her waist. "Yeah, I'm up!" he called out, earning himself another glare from Elena. "What? It's true," he shrugged. "Now look happy."

Elena simply closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

"Father wants to speak with you," Stefan said, lowering his voice when he spotted Elena's sleeping form.

"I thought he had enough to say last night," Damon said coldly. "I did not come all this way for history to repeat itself."

"Damon, please…"

"What more could he possibly have to say to me?"

"He's not well, Damon."

"No kidding," Damon scoffed.

"He may only have a few weeks." Stefan said in a serious tone.

"What?" Damon's expression fell. His father was dying?

"He wants to make things right with you before…"

"Tell him I'll be down in a little while. I have to… I have to think," Damon said, clearly shaken.

"Of course," Stefan nodded and left the room.

When Elena heard the door close, she opened her eyes and turned around to face Damon. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Elena," Damon said, getting out of bed.

"Damon…"

"I don't want to talk about it, ok?"

"Sure, but…"

"Elena… I'm serious."

"Ok," she said quietly.

"I'm gonna shower," he said, heading into the bathroom. "Go back to sleep."

Elena couldn't possibly go back to sleep now. Damon was hurting, and she wanted to be there for him. But if he wouldn't let her…

She closed her eyes and curled up on her side, determined not to look in the direction of the bathroom, which was clearly visible from the bed.

* * *

><p>After Damon had left the room, Elena took a quick shower and changed into a white sundress and put on a pair of ballet flats. She pulled her hair back in a braid and went downstairs.<p>

Elena was almost at the foot of the stairs when Stefan appeared.

"Elena," he smiled. "How are you today?"

"Uh… I'm fine, thank you," Elena said hesitatingly. "Where's Damon?"

"He's with father. Would you like some breakfast?"

"Oh… maybe I should wait for Damon…"

"He took his breakfast in the study with father. Please, come," he gestured towards the patio.

Elena reluctantly followed him outside. There was a large table in the garden, most likely often used for large gatherings, and it stood under the shade of a lush olive tree.

Stefan called out something in Italian to Rosa, who was picking flowers, and she immediately scurried off.

"Rosa will bring you your breakfast," he explained.

"Oh, but… I could have gone myself."

"Nonsense. You are our guest. _Nonna_ baked wonderful bread this morning," he said as Rosa came out with a basket of focaccia.

"How are you enjoying Italy so far?" Stefan asked as Elena took a bite out of the moist, fluffy bread.

"It's really a beautiful country," Elena said, her face beaming in appreciation. "Damon showed me the waterfalls when we arrived. They were gorgeous."

"How long have you been seeing my brother?"

Elena froze. They had never really talked about that. "Uh… I don't know exactly. Time loses its meaning when he's around," she said, hoping it didn't sound too cheesy.

Stefan smiled. "Good answer. Did he tell you to say that?" Stefan asked, casually putting a piece of bread in his mouth.

Elena's face fell. "What?"

"Oh, you didn't think my brother wouldn't tell me the truth, did you? We were best friends growing up. Damon tells me everything."

"Is that so?" Elena said, sipping her tea.

"How else would I know that this so-called engagement is a sham?"

"I don't know where you've gotten that idea. I am very much in love with your brother."

"I apologize," Stefan raised his hands. "My brother is very lucky to have found such a beautiful and loyal woman to share his life… and his secrets."

"Secrets?"

"It's really not my place to say," Stefan shrugged.

"So… how long have you been managing the estate?" Elena asked, changing the subject.

"For a few years now."

"Do you enjoy it?"

"It is honest work… but I would like to see the world."

"Can't you? I mean, I understand you have responsibilities, but you could still travel, right?"

"Managing the estate is a full time job, Elena. It does not leave much time for enjoying life."

"But you have family here, friends I'm sure, and it's so beautiful."

"Ask my brother why he left, he will tell you it is not all fun and games."

"Do you wish you had gone to the States with him?"

"Someone had to stay behind," Stefan shrugged.

"Do you resent him for leaving?"

"No, of course not. I'm happy for him. He was always the brave one. I suppose he finally met his match," Stefan smiled.

"I'm not brave," Elena objected, looking down at her plate.

"You must be."

"What makes you say that?" Elena looked up at him, puzzled.

"To agree to marry my brother," Stefan clarified.

"I don't see how that makes me brave," Elena shrugged.

"Damon makes many promises. He's not one for keeping them, though."

"You are the second person who's told me that," Elena frowned.

"Ah, yes, I suppose father would know."

"Maybe Damon was like that when he was younger, but from what I understand, neither of you have been a part of his life these last couple of years. How do you know he hasn't changed?"

"You're telling me he's kept every promise he's made to you?"

Elena's mind flashed briefly to all the empty promises Damon's made over the years she'd known him. "The important ones," she said diplomatically.

"Maybe you're right," Stefan smiled. "It seems you know him better than all of us."

"I wouldn't say that…" Elena shrugged.

"Do you like riding?" Stefan said, changing the subject.

"I love horses," Elena smiled. "It's been years since I took riding lessons, though."

"What do you say to a tour of the vineyard on horseback?"

"Wow, that'd be great… but is Damon…?"

"He'll probably be in with father for the most part of the day. Would you mind terribly spending a few hours with your future brother-in-law?"

Elena hesitated. What was the harm? She was going to be a part of this family for at least a little while, she might as well keep up appearances.

"No, of course not," she said, smiling.

* * *

><p>Stefan took Elena over to the stables and saddled a sleek Catria mare for her. "She's a beauty, isn't she?" Stefan said as Elena stroked the horse's shiny dark brown coat. "She was my mother's."<p>

"She's gorgeous," Elena said softly.

"She's also the most good-natured. She won't give you any trouble." Stefan handed the reins to Elena, who started leading the horse outside. As she was passing one of the boxes, the horse inside neighed and kicked his door. Elena jumped slightly, but the mare seemed unperturbed.

"That's Thunder," Stefan said. "He's Damon's. He doesn't let anyone else ride him. Father tried to sell him, but the buyers always came back with him. If it weren't for the fact that our mother bought that horse for him, father probably would have had him put down by now."

Elena peered inside the box. Thunder's coat looked more like a panther's than anything else. He had a raven-like mane and his eyes seemed to be just as black. Yes, this was definitely Damon's horse.

Stefan soon joined her outside with his own horse, a brown Calabrese and they set off in a trot.

* * *

><p>"Did you often go out riding together, you and Damon?" Elena asked as they were riding along a small trail.<p>

"All the time," Stefan smiled. "We would race, of course. First one to the barn, first one to the well, first one to the lake…"

"There's a lake near here?"

"About an hour's ride from the house, yes. Would you like to see it?"

"No, that's ok. So, what type of grapes do you grow?"

Stefan went into a detailed account of how wine is produced and Elena found herself relaxing in his company. He had a pleasant voice and he seemed very dedicated to his work. They eventually drifted over to discussing books and music, and Stefan listened attentively to Elena's description of her work at the publishing house.

"So you've been working for Damon for over three years and he still hasn't promoted you?"

"He would have, I'm sure, but when we started dating, we just felt it would look bad if he promoted me."

"Was that your decision or his?"

"Does it matter?"

"I just don't see you as the kind of person who would give up her career for a man."

"That's not what I'm doing."

"Well, good," Stefan smiled. "I would hate to see you sell yourself short."

Elena frowned at the expression. Was that what it would look like to their colleagues once she got the promotion? Like she had sold herself? Of course that was not what he meant by the phrase, but the thought still bothered her.

"Elena?"

Elena blinked and found Stefan eyeing her suspiciously.

"Uh… sorry," she shook her head to rid herself of her troubled thoughts.

"Is everything all right?"

"Yes. I'm just… I guess I'm not used to the sun, is all."

"Come, there is a tree over there. We can let the horses rest for awhile," he gestured towards a large oak and steered his stallion over there.

He jumped off and tied his horse to a thick branch, then walked up to Elena's horse and held out his arms to help her down. Elena was perfectly capable of getting off herself, but she allowed him to lift her down. Elena realized her mistake when his hands lingered on her hips a little too long and she turned away to discretely free herself of his grip. He took the hint and let go.

"I'm sorry, I should have thought to bring a water bottle," Stefan said as Elena sat down, leaning against the tree trunk.

"It's fine. The shade helps. I'll be fine in a minute," Elena smiled politely and Stefan sat down beside her.

"Did you have a chance to spend some time with _nonna_ yet?" Stefan asked casually.

"I did," Elena smiled, her face lighting up at the mention of Sophia. "She's amazing."

"She is," Stefan agreed. "But Damon was always her favorite. I never really had the chance to get to know her."

"There's still time."

"Yes, but… I'm afraid she had made her mind up about me."

"Like your father has about Damon?" Elena said, knowing that Giuseppe always favored Stefan. If their father could play favorites, why couldn't Sophia?

"Father had high hopes for Damon. He wanted him to take the estate into the next century."

"But it wasn't what Damon wanted," Elena defended him. "Should he cave to his father's wishes only to be miserable for the rest of his life?"

"Do you think this life is so bad?"

"No, of course not. But if you are forced to live your life according to someone else's plan, you'll be miserable no matter how beautiful the place."

"But if Damon chose this life, of his own will, would you share it with him? Would you give up your career to follow him?"

"Damon and I share similar goals," Elena shrugged.

"Right now…"

"I have no reason to believe that will change."

"But if it should?"

"Then we'll discuss it."

Truth was, if Damon decided to go back to Italy, there would be no need for this charade to continue. Still, her first reaction to Stefan's question had been the feeling that she would follow Damon to the ends of the world if he asked her to. Elena quickly shook off that thought, along with the chilling sensation that she was in way over her head.

* * *

><p>Stefan steered the conversation back to less personal topics and when Elena felt cooler again, they headed back to the estate. When they approached the stables, Elena spotted Damon coming to meet them.<p>

The mare halted when he approached and let him pat her forehead. "Hey, girl," he said softly. "How've you been?"

"How'd it go with father?" Stefan asked as he leapt off his horse.

"I don't really want to get into that just now," Damon said and turned his attention to Elena. "Did you have a nice ride?"

"I did."

Damon reached out to help her down and Elena let him. His hands didn't linger long enough on her hips, Elena found herself thinking.

"So… it's almost lunch time. Would you like to go for a drive into town?"

"I'd love to. Let me just get changed first, ok?"

"Sure. I'll wait here," Damon said and watched her go.

Elena, having her back turned, didn't notice the expression on Damon's face as she walked away. Nor did she notice the stains on her back from where she had leaned against the tree. Her white sundress – _not_ an appropriate riding attire – was soiled.

"What the hell, Stefan?" he growled as soon as Elena was out of earshot, shoving his brother.

"What? I took her riding."

"You took her for a ride, you mean?"

"Oh, come on, how insecure are you?" Stefan rolled his eyes.

"How did she get the stains on her back, Stefan?"

"Aside from the fact that you apparently have so little faith in the woman you're supposedly marrying, how could you think I would do that to you?"

"Don't play games with me, Stefan. I know what you are."

"What I am?" Stefan raised his eyebrows. "This should be good…"

"You think I don't know that Rosa isn't the first girl you've gotten pregnant? That father is almost broke because of all the money he's had to lay down to keep your indiscretions quiet?"

"Oh, is _that_ what you and father have been discussing today? My love life?"

"No, we've discussed how you've run this place into the ground with your reckless behavior. We've discussed how I'm going to have to straighten out your mess for you."

"You're moving back?"

"No. I'm appointing a receiver to assess the financial situation and manage the estate until you are equipped to do so."

"You've got some nerve, Damon," Stefan growled. "You think you're better than me, is that it? Well, if you're so great, how come you have to bribe a woman to marry you?"

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"No? She doesn't love you, Damon. You obviously know that, too, or else you wouldn't be so worried that she'd end up on her back whenever she's alone with me."

_Punch_.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Thank you for all your sweet reviews. I was in a mood when I wrote this chapter, and I wonder if my bad mood rubbed off on the characters, or if they rubbed off on me? If you're curious about my thought process for this fic, I'm posting little commentaries on my LJ-account and on Twitter (same username). Enjoy!_

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><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ X ~

* * *

><p>"Ow!" Stefan exclaimed, holding his nose. When he removed his hand, it was covered in blood.<p>

"Stay the hell away from Elena," Damon warned him, "or you'll end up with way worse than a broken nose or a cracked lip."

"Why do _you_ care? She's just your ticket to living the American dream. And you're just her ticket to a promotion."

"I hear you've been talking to John Gilbert," Damon scoffed. "Did he tell you to go on a fishing expedition? Try to dig up some dirt on your big brother? I bet you just jumped at the chance, didn't you? Anything to even the score, right?"

"I'm not keeping score, Damon. But if I was, I'd say I am a hell of a lot closer to getting into Elena's pants than you are."

"Oh, you're asking for it," Damon growled and lunged at Stefan, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

"What are you doing?" a voice exclaimed. "Damon!"

The two men, currently acting more like boys than adults, froze at the sound of her voice. Damon got to his feet first, pushing Stefan down in the process.

Elena took one look at the two of them and tended to the most wounded. "You should go get that cleaned up before it gets infected," she said and helped Stefan to his feet.

"Thank you, Elena," Stefan said, "I honestly don't know what came over him."

Elena looked at Damon, who was seething, and didn't know what to think.

"When you leaned against that tree, it stained your dress, and my brother thought…"

Elena's jaw dropped.

Damon didn't say a word, simply clenched his jaw.

"I'll be right back," Elena said to Damon and helped Stefan inside, calling for Rosa to help him get cleaned up.

In the kitchen, she grabbed a washcloth and wetted it before returning to Damon, who was waiting by the car. Without a word, she walked up to him, took his right hand and wiped the blood from his knuckles. Then she tossed the towel at him and got in the car.

Damon looked at her as if demanding an explanation.

"You're taking me to lunch, right?"

Damon didn't reply, he simply tossed the cloth in the backseat and got behind the wheel.

* * *

><p>They were halfway to the nearest town before Elena broke the silence. "So, you wanna tell me what that was really about?"<p>

"No."

"Fine. Then how 'bout this… When exactly did you start seeing me as whore?"

If Damon had been sipping a glass of wine, the inside of the car would have been sprayed with red liquid. "Excuse me?"

"I suppose it's my fault for agreeing to this arrangement in the first place – letting you buy my cooperation – but I can't believe you would think I'd give it up for your _brother_. Do you really think that little of me?"

"You don't know my brother, Elena."

"This isn't about him, Damon. It's about what you think of _me_."

"Does it matter?" Damon said coldly.

"No, I suppose it doesn't. But if we're going to fool people into thinking we're in love, you better start acting like you trust me."

"Fine," he huffed.

"Fine." She crossed her arms and pushed back against the seat.

* * *

><p>They drove in silence the rest of the way. Damon parked the car outside a small restaurant and got out. Elena remained in the car and so he walked around and opened her door.<p>

"You coming?"

"I'm not really that hungry," Elena said curtly.

"Fine!" Damon slammed the door and got back in the car.

They drove for what seemed like hours, and eventually the tension became too much to handle. One of them would have to cave if they were going to be able to go on with the charade, and it clearly wasn't going to be Damon.

"How is your father?" Elena said, keeping her voice calm and compassionate.

"Dying."

"I'm sorry, Damon."

"It's not like we have the best relationship," Damon shrugged.

"I get that. But you can make things right with him."

"It's not that simple, Elena."

"He wants you to take over the estate, doesn't he?"

"Yes."

"Are you considering it?"

"My life is in New York. My father dying doesn't change that."

"And Stefan?"

"What about Stefan?"

"How does _he_ feel?"

"What do you care?"

"He's your family, Damon. Your brother. He needs you."

"He's a grown man. I'm done cleaning up his messes."

"Even though Jeremy's married now, he's still my brother, and I don't think I'll ever stop worrying about him."

"Stefan isn't Jeremy, Elena."

Elena didn't really know what to say to that, so they sat in silence for a little while longer.

It was Elena's rumbling stomach that broke the silence, and even earned a chuckle from Damon.

"Not hungry, huh?"

"Ok, so maybe just a little bit…"

"There's a town just up ahead."

* * *

><p>They stopped at a small restaurant and ordered <em>ziti<em>, enjoying their food on the small patio. About halfway through the meal, their mood lightened.

"I'm sorry," Damon said. "I overreacted. Stefan was being a jerk, but I should have controlled my temper. I'm a grown man. Still, when I'm around my family…"

"They push your buttons?" Elena guessed. "Yeah, me too."

"Stefan and I were best friends growing up, but I wanted more out of life. When I went to the States to study, I promised that I'd send for him as soon as I got settled. But then… I was working around the clock, and the time just never seemed right, you know? When I came back to visit, he had changed. I think he resented me for leaving him behind. We were never the same after that. He felt obligated to take over managing the estate, I suppose."

"But he could have left," Elena frowned. "If he didn't want this life, he could have gone someplace else."

"Father is a very controlling man…"

"But you stood up to him. You chose to make a life for yourself."

"Maybe I should have stayed. Maybe things would be different if I had."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Listen, I don't know much about your family, but you're not responsible for their actions any more than I am responsible for _my_ family's. We're all individuals, and we make our own decisions and suffer the consequences."

"Everyone except my brother," Damon muttered under his breath and took a bite of his food.

"Sorry?"

"Never mind," Damon shook his head. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah."

"I don't really feel like going back just yet… would you mind… could I show you something?"

"Of course."

* * *

><p>Elena gasped when they turned onto the scenic road and saw the Mediterranean sea to their right, sparkling in a clear blue that reminded her of Damon's eyes. The cliffs looked almost pink in the glow of the setting sun.<p>

"It's amazing, Damon."

"I have an old friend here, he owns a villa overlooking the sea. He's usually travelling this time of year, but his housekeeper knows me. Would you like to stay here for the night?"

"I'd love to."

"Good. I'll give him a call and set it up," Damon smiled and pulled into a parking lot. "I'd like to take you to my favorite _gelateria_. They have the best _stracciatella_ here."

Damon wasn't lying. The _stracciatella_ was the smoothest ice cream Elena had ever tasted. The fine chocolate shavings melted on her tongue along with the vanilla cream. Damon enjoyed watching her eat her ice cream so much that he forgot his own serving was melting.

"This is delicious," Elena said and frowned when her eyes fell on his untouched portion. "Aren't you going to eat that?"

"Huh? Oh… yes," he said and dipped his spoon in the less-than-firm substance.

Elena giggled and he frowned. "What?"

"You're a messy eater," she laughed, and reached out to wipe a smear of ice cream from the corner of his mouth.

Damon caught her hand, though, and licked the vanilla off her finger. Elena froze, her eyes locked into his. Eyes that darkened with unspoken desire. Damon let go of her hand and averted his gaze. Elena suddenly found the table extremely fascinating.

"Uh… I'm just gonna… go make that call," Damon excused himself and Elena nodded, relieved to be left alone to collect her thoughts.

* * *

><p>When he returned moments later, Elena had managed to calm herself down enough to face him without blushing.<p>

"We're all set. The housekeeper will let us in."

"Great."

"The house has plenty of guest rooms, so you won't have to sleep on the floor," Damon said flippantly.

"Thanks," Elena rolled her eyes.

The villa was indeed gorgeous. It had a large terrace overlooking the Mediterranean, with a built-in swimming pool. The rooms inside were spacious and cool, with sheer fabrics for draperies and marble bathrooms. Elena found a beautiful, feminine guest room with a small balcony and a canopy bed.

"Do you like it?" Damon asked from the doorway.

"It's beautiful, Damon. Thank you for bringing me here. And please, thank your friend for me, as well."

"I will. Dinner's ready, if you're hungry," Damon said and headed downstairs.

They ate in companionable silence and when Elena finished the minestrone soup Damon had prepared, she felt the long day having taken its toll on her.

"Thank you for dinner, Damon. I'm really exhausted. Do you mind if I just go to bed?"

"No, go ahead. There should be extra toothbrushes in the bathrooms."

"Thank you. Good night."

* * *

><p>It was a warm night, and Elena wasn't exactly prepared for a sleep-over, so she crept under the covers in her underwear.<p>

She had almost dozed off when she sensed a presence in the vicinity. "Damon?" she peered at the figure in the doorway.

"I could never think of you as a prostitute," he said sadly. "I hate that you would think that for even a second." With that, he headed towards his bedroom, leaving Elena to her thoughts.

She tried to go back to sleep, she really did. But his words kept nagging at her. At least for a split second, he had thought that she might actually sleep with his brother. And she _had_ agreed to marry him for a promotion. _She_ felt like she was selling herself to further her career, why wouldn't he?

After what felt like hours of tossing and turning, Elena threw off the covers and climbed out of bed. She had to know.

"Damon?"

Apparently, he hadn't been sleeping, either, because he sat up in bed at the sound of her voice. "Elena?"

She walked around the bed and climbed in beside him. "How _do_ you think of me?"

"Elena… are you sleepwalking?"

"I've been tossing and turning because I can't stop thinking about… us."

"Us?"

"This… arrangement that we have… I… I don't want you to think that I'm doing it for the promotion. It… it started out that way, but…"

"What are you saying, Elena?" Damon said softly, his voice filled with fragile hope.

"I'm asking… how do you feel about me? Am I your ticket to a green card or..."

Elena didn't get to finish her sentence before Damon's lips crashed down on hers.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Thank you for all your sweet reviews. Special thanks to __**carillon14**__ for being my language consultant : ) Picking up right where we left off… Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ XI ~

* * *

><p>Elena responded to his passionate embrace with equal fervor, pulling him closer as her hands tangled in his hair. Soon he was trailing kisses down her body and Elena found herself shivering despite the heat of the humid night and his fevered touch.<p>

"Damon…"

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this," he breathed against her skin.

"Why didn't you?" Elena breathed.

"I thought you didn't want me," Damon said and hovered above her for a moment, letting their eyes lock. "Last night, _Nonna_ told me to go upstairs and make you mine. But when I got there, you had already made the bed for me on the floor."

"_Nonna_ is a wise woman," Elena said softly, reaching up to caress his cheek. "You should take her advice," she smiled and pulled him down to her.

* * *

><p>Elena awoke to strong arms enveloping her. For a second, she was disoriented and didn't recognize the room. On the other hand, she hadn't slept in her own bed for quite some time now, it seemed. She didn't have to turn her head to see whose arms she was in, she would recognize the scent of him anywhere. She did, however, have to go to the bathroom and gently tried to move his arm so she could move.<p>

Damon groaned and tightened his embrace, pulling her even closer to him.

"Damon… I have to go."

"No, when I've finally got you in my arms I'm not letting you go," he said sleepily.

"You're gonna have to," Elena said, turning slightly to face him.

Damon tucked a hair behind her ear. "Why?" he pouted.

"Because I have to pee," Elena said simply.

"Oh… sorry," he chuckled and released her.

"I'll be right back."

"You better…" he winked.

* * *

><p>When Elena returned from the bathroom after having washed up and brushed her teeth, she was wearing one of the guest robes – this place had <em>everything<em>! – and found the bed empty.

Frowning, she looked around the room, almost expecting Damon to jump out at her, but there was no movement. Then she smelt it. Coffee.

Smiling, Elena made her way downstairs and found Damon in the kitchen.

"I thought you might be hungry," he smiled, looking over his shoulder.

"You thought right," Elena replied, walking up to him. "What are you making?" she peered over his shoulder.

"Scrambled eggs, Tuscan style. Giorgio had his housekeeper stock the kitchen before we got here."

"That's nice of him," Elena said and hopped up on the kitchen counter, from where she had an excellent view of the garden.

"Mm-hm," Damon said, distracted by the fact that her robe had parted slightly and revealed a sliver of her olive-skinned thigh.

"Did you come here a lot while you still lived in Italy?"

"Occasionally," he mumbled, moving over to stand between her legs, his hands on her knees.

"Damon?"

"Hm?" he started moving his hands up her legs, his thumbs running along the inside of her thighs.

"Your eggs are burning."

"There's more in the fridge," he shrugged and picked her up.

Elena giggled as her legs hooked around his waist and he moved over to the stove to turn off the burner before carrying her into the living room.

* * *

><p>"So…" Elena said softly, pensively caressing the arm hooked around her as they lay on the couch. "What happens now?"<p>

"Now?"

"When we go back, I mean."

"To my family's estate or to the States?"

"Both, I guess…"

"Well, when we get back to the estate, I have every intention of showing you the winery," Damon said, nibbling at her ear. Elena could practically hear his smirk.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it," she rolled her eyes.

"I don't know, Elena," Damon said, honestly. "John will still be there, waiting for an excuse to bust us. Father is still dying, desperate to get me to stay and take over. Stefan will still be getting random women pregnant, and I will be expected to clean up his messes."

"Wait- what?" Elena frowned, turning around to face him.

"Rosa isn't the first, and she probably won't be the last," Damon said, his voice filled with a mixture of contempt and sadness.

"Rosa's baby… Stefan's the father?"

"That will never be made public knowledge, if father has anything to say about it. Which he does."

"But why would he…?"

"Coddle him? Stefan's always been my father's _prediletto_. Growing up, he could do no wrong in father's eyes. I suppose I didn't exactly help the situation. When we got into trouble, I would take the blame. I remember this one time… Stefan and his friends were drinking – they stole a couple of bottles from the winery – and got the brilliant idea to steal a car. They crashed it, of course, and father was livid. Stefan was so scared, he begged me to cover for him, and I told father I was the one who was driving. I don't think he really believed me, but it was like he was relieved he could beat me instead of Stefan."

Elena reached out and caressed his cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"It was a long time ago," Damon said, a bittersweet smile on his lips.

"What did your father say to you yesterday?"

"The business is in jeopardy. Covering up Stefan's… indiscretions… had proven costly. Not to mention the fact that he's neglected the estate."

"But… when he spoke of his work… he sounded so…"

"Passionate? Yeah, I can imagine. He would know, if you were with me, that you admired passion in a man."

"Cocky much?" Elena raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, you know I am…" Damon smirked, then chuckled. "It's not what I meant, though. We're both passionate people, Elena. We go after the things we want, and we don't let anything get in our way. Stefan knows that about me, and it figures he would use it to get to you."

"Why? As far as he knows, I'm your fiancée. Why would he try to seduce me?"

"Because we're brothers, Elena. We've always been jealous of each other, we've always wanted what the other had."

"So I'm a trophy?" Elena frowned.

"Not to me."

"What am I to you?"

"You're… you're the woman I didn't know I was looking for until I found you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, so… what do we do?" Elena asked, coming back to her earlier question.

"Is it weird that I still want to marry you?"

"A little," Elena admitted. "But at the same time, we _did_ make a deal. We could… date… while we're married."

"I'd like that," Damon smiled and stroked her hair.

"Me too."

"So… do you wanna have a shower?"

"Actually, that pool outside looked awfully inviting…"

"Did you bring a bathing suit?" Damon hiked an eyebrow.

"No." Elena bit her lip with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Let's go then," Damon smirked.

* * *

><p>After a – very – late breakfast, Damon and Elena headed back to the Salvatore estate in a much lighter mood than when they left. The tension between them was gone and had been replaced by a sort of giddiness. That quickly faded when they pulled into the driveway and were met by a bruised Stefan, wearing a frown on his face.<p>

"Father wants to see you," he said coldly as Damon stepped out of the car.

"Let me guess, you went crying to father?" Damon scoffed. "Just like old times."

Stefan ignored him and turned to the brown-eyed brunette stepping out on the passenger's side. "Welcome back, Elena. I've missed you."

"I was only gone for a day," Elena said, uncomfortable.

"Still… you were greatly missed."

"How's _nonna_?" Elena asked, ignoring his ingratiating behavior.

"Oh, she's fine. She's preparing dinner. I could escort you there, if you like," he offered.

"I think she knows the way to the kitchen, Stefan," Damon rolled his eyes.

"Yes… thank you," Elena said politely. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go see if _nonna_ needs help in the kitchen."

"Don't hurt yourself," Damon winked and kissed her cheek.

"I'm not the one who burned the eggs this morning," Elena teased and sauntered off.

"So… you sealed the deal, did you?" Stefan noted.

"That's none of your business, _little_ brother," Damon scoffed and headed inside.

* * *

><p>"<em>Cara<em>!" Sophia exclaimed when Elena entered the kitchen and embraced her heartily. Then she pulled back, holding Elena at arm's length and observing her closely. "You had a nice trip, I see," she winked.

Elena blushed. Was it _that_ obvious?

"Can I help?" Elena asked, nodding towards the stove, where a large pot stood, boiling.

"You could make a salad, if you like."

"Of course," Elena smiled and went to wash her hands.

"Did Damon show you the coast?" Sophia asked as Elena was chopping up radicchio.

"How did you know?" Elena looked up, puzzled.

"I heard him argue with Stefan. Damon would always drive out to the coast when things got too heated around here."

"We stayed at his friend Giorgio's villa. It was gorgeous."

"Ah, yes, Giorgio… I was good friends with his father once. He was much too young for me, of course, but…" Sophia shrugged and went to stir the sauce.

Elena shook her head in disbelief and moved on to the escarole with a smile on her lips.

She had just finished when strong arms wrapped around her and she jumped slightly. Elena turned her head to glare at him. "Don't sneak up on me when I'm wielding a knife, Salvatore."

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself," he smirked and kissed her lightly. "I lose all sense of propriety when I'm around you," he whispered in her ear.

"Propriety is overrated," Sophia said, her back still turned.

Elena giggled.

"I guess you won't be needing a hearing aid any time soon, _nonna_," Damon chuckled.

"_Caro_, your father was asking for you," Sophia said in a more serious tone, turning around.

"Has he taken a turn for the worse?" Damon frowned.

"No, he is just too lazy to order people around in person," Sophia scoffed. "Giuseppe is strong, and stubborn. He will not leave this world until he is happy to do so."

"_Nonna_," Damon said sadly, "the cancer doesn't care how stubborn father is. _Mamma_ was just as strong as him."

"It was a different kind, _caro_. And Laura was younger. Such a cruel disease, taking younger lives quicker than the old ones," she shook her head.

"I should see what he wants," Damon said to Elena and gave her another quick kiss before heading to the study.

"I'm sorry, _nonna_," Elena said sympathetically. "This must be difficult for you."

"I know it may sound strange to you, _cara_, but I have lost many people over the years. It is sad, but it is life. When I lost my youngest son, Giovanni, I wept for weeks. Life went on, though. My other three children moved away and started families of their own. These years I have lived with Giuseppe and Laura have been the best and the worst. I watched my son turn into a monster. The cancer that ate away at Laura consumed him as well. What he has done to Damon… how he has chosen Stefan over him again and again… It is not right. I will mourn my son when his time comes – if I am alive to see it – but I will not be crippled by his loss."

Elena was dumbstruck. She had never heard a parent speak so candidly about their feelings towards one of their children.

"You think I am cold-hearted, _cara_?" Sophia said.

"No… I just…"

"A mother is supposed to love her children unconditionally, yes? But you must understand, my love for Giuseppe is not blind. The boy I raised, the young man he became… I was proud of my son. But when he raised his hand to his children in anger, I could not accept his choices any longer."

"Damon said his father punished him for things Stefan did…"

"It was not punishment, _cara_. It was abuse. Giuseppe did not need a reason to take his frustrations out on Damon. Laura was frail and sick for years before she died. She did not know what became of her husband. He hated seeing her wasting away, and he turned to the drink for solace. When that did not dull the pain, he sought the company of other women. Damon and Stefan knew. Stefan followed his father's example and Damon rebelled against it. Giuseppe did not like to be questioned. I will never forgive myself for not being here to stop him." Sophia shook her head, reliving the past.

"I was away for many months. My daughter Giada had just had a baby and there were complications. I was helping her with the housework and caring for her other children. I shouldn't have left when Laura was so ill, but the nurses Giuseppe hired cared for her and I thought I might be of better use to Giada. I came home to find Damon in the hospital. I wanted to strangle my son, but Damon begged me not to say anything. He didn't want his mother to worry."

Elena felt tears prickling and pushed them back. Her heart ached for Damon, but she didn't want to cry in front of Sophia. _He_ wouldn't want her to cry for him.

"This is why I am not more upset about my son's illness," Sophia concluded her story.

"I… I don't know what to say," Elena said in a shaky voice.

"Perhaps I shouldn't have burdened you with all this, _cara_. I just thought you should know our family's history."

"No, I'm glad you told me," Elena assured her. "Damon hasn't really said too much about…"

"He does not want you to look at him differently, and he wants to protect you. But you should not marry into a family you do not know."

"Thank you…"

"_Cara_… I know you did not love my grandson when you agreed to marry him… but I believe you do now. Know that I am grateful you found each other."

"I am too," Elena said softly.

"Sorry to break up this lovely family moment," a voice drawled from the doorway, "but I would like to remind you that the US government doesn't care if you two fell in love while committing fraud. They tend to focus on the 'committing fraud' part."

Elena felt her blood run cold. Of course, John Gilbert would be skulking around the house, trying to find something incriminating. But what had he heard them say? Elena racked her brain, trying to remember the exact words that were uttered. She hadn't admitted to anything, had she? Elena decided to call his bluff.

"Is the sun getting to you, Mr. Gilbert? I know I've felt lightheaded on more than one occasion, but I don't think I started hallucinating. It's important to replenish your fluids, you know? And not with liquids that come out of Castello di Salvatore bottles."

"You play your role well, Miss Gilbert. There must be a big bonus waiting for you when you get back to New York." He looked her over condescendingly. "How much _is_ a roll in the hay worth these days?"

_Slap._

"Assaulting a federal officer, Miss Gilbert? Tsk, tsk, tsk. I might have to write up a report."

"Insult my family again, _Signore_ Gilbert, and you will find yourself buried in paperwork for the rest of your life," Sophia said warningly, weighing a rolling pin in her hands. "If you can still write."

"Is that a threat, _signora_?" John Gilbert tried to sound unfazed, but his voice quivered slightly.

"_No_, _signore_, that is a promise."

John huffed and strode out of the kitchen, his dignity trailing behind like a limp tail.

"_Nonna_, what if he tries to have you arrested?" Elena said in a low voice, filled with concern for the older woman.

"_Cara_, I am an old woman. He is but a trespasser in my home. His threats are as empty as the head on his shoulders."

"Still, I…"

"Hey… what's going on?" Damon frowned as he walked into the kitchen and saw Elena's worried expression.

"Nothing," Elena shook her head and managed a smile. "Don't worry about it. What did you father want?"

"Let's go upstairs, ok?" Damon said and took her hand.

Elena shot Sophia a questioning look.

"Go on," she shooed them away. "Dinner will be ready soon. Come back when you've worked up an appetite," she winked.

"_Nonna!_" Damon gawked.

Sophia rolled her eyes. "Young people these days… so prudish."

Elena and Damon exchanged looks and worked hard not to break into giggles. They made it halfway up the stairs before they exploded into laughter.

"I love your grandmother," Elena said when they had managed to pull themselves together.

"I think the feeling's mutual," Damon smiled.

"So… what did he say?" Elena asked as she sat down on the bed.

"I have to go away for a couple of days. I have to go over the estate's finances with a group of lawyers and accountants. I wish I could take you with me, but I'll be cooped up in an office 24-7."

"Oh… when do you have to leave?"

"Early tomorrow morning."

"Oh…" Elena twirled her hair, seemingly lost in thought. Then she looked up at him with innocent doe eyes and spoke again. "We should make it an early night, then…"


	12. Chapter 12

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Thank you for all your sweet reviews. Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ XII ~

* * *

><p>"Father asked to see you," Stefan said to Elena as she was coming down the stairs.<p>

Damon had left at the break of dawn and she had tried to sleep for as long as possible to postpone facing the Salvatores. Eventually, though, she had to leave the room. Figures that Stefan would be the first person she saw.

"He did?" Elena frowned. Giuseppe had barely said two words to her since she arrived. Why would he want to talk to her now?

"He's waiting for you in his study," Stefan gestured to a closed door down the hall.

Tentatively, and with a growing sense of foreboding, Elena lifted her hand and knocked.

"Enter," a voice bellowed from inside and Elena pushed the door open.

"Ah, Miss Gilbert," Giuseppe said, gesturing to one of the plush chairs in the room. "Do come in."

Elena hesitantly, with the feeling she was walking into the lion's den, closed the door behind her and sat down in the leather armchair, crossing her legs at the ankles and folding her hands in her lap.

"My son has obligations to his family," Giuseppe began, getting straight to the point, "he cannot be distracted by some career-driven, money-grubbing whore."

Elena's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

"Damon has gotten it into his head that he's in love with you. You need to end this farce now, before it's too late. When you break off your engagement and return to America, you will receive a generous contribution. Call it… a compensation for services rendered, if you like."

"You're trying to buy me off?" Elena gawked.

"I'm ensuring my son gets the future he deserves."

"Damon's a grown man, Mr. Salvatore. He will make his own decisions in life. I have no more influence over him than you do."

"You are underestimating your abilities, Miss Gilbert."

"I'm not breaking off our engagement," Elena said stoically.

"Then you leave me no choice but to cut Damon out of my will."

"Damon doesn't need or want your money," Elena hissed.

"You think he got to where he is today without it?" Giuseppe scoffed. "I know my son. He goes after the things he wants and he doesn't stop until he gets it. He likes the chase. He will grow bored of you soon enough, and when he does, he will miss his old life."

"I don't believe that."

"Believe this – I will bequeath all my worldly possessions to Stefan. He will run this estate into the ground and _Nonna_ will live out her life in a retirement home that relies on government funding to stay afloat."

Elena's jaw dropped. "Sophia is your _mother_. Why would you-"

"I will stop at nothing to see to it that my son is free of harlots like you."

"You… are a despicable man, Mr. Salvatore," Elena hissed and stood up.

"I am not unreasonable. You may stay here the full two weeks, but then you _will_ be going back to America - _alone_."

Elena stormed out, slamming the door shut behind her.

* * *

><p>"Elena?" Stefan appeared just as she was about to leave the house.<p>

"I need some air," Elena said and headed out without sparing him a second glance.

"I'll go with you," Stefan volunteered and followed her.

"Please, Stefan, just leave me alone," Elena said, walking away in a brisk pace.

"But you are upset…"

"Then let me be upset!" Elena growled.

"You shouldn't be alone. Damon wouldn't want you to run off."

"Since when do you care what Damon wants?" Elena hissed, walking down a dirt road following one of the vineyards.

"I'm sorry I was inappropriate earlier," Stefan said, falling into step beside her. "My brother and I have a complicated past. It was wrong of me to involve _you_ in it. Please forgive me," Stefan said sincerely.

"You don't need my forgiveness, Stefan. I have no quarrel with you. But I think you and Damon have issues to work out, and it's not my place to say anything about it."

"You're right. We _do _have issues. And I hope we can work them out."

"I'm sure Damon will be happy to hear that. You should tell him."

"Well, he's not here at the moment…"

"No. Why is that, Stefan?" Elena said, a little more snarkily than intended. This wasn't her fight, after all.

"Excuse me?"

Oh, what the hell? "Don't pretend like you don't know why Damon had to go meet with lawyers and accountants. Don't insult my intelligence, Stefan. I know you're trying to act like you're the 'good' brother, the poor boy who had to shoulder his older brother's responsibilities, but I'm not buying it."

"Elena… I don't know what lies Damon told you, but…"

"So you deny that you're the father of Rosa's baby?"

"Rosa's pregnant?" Stefan gasped in surprise.

Elena narrowed her eyes, studying his expression. Either he really didn't know about the pregnancy, or he missed his calling as an actor.

"Really, Stefan?" she hiked an eyebrow. "You're gonna pretend you didn't know?"

"I didn't," he shook his head in disbelief. "You think I…? Elena, I never touched her."

He looked so sincere, so genuinely shocked, that Elena found herself doubting her conviction. What if Damon misunderstood? All she knew was that Rosa was pregnant. The girl had never said Stefan was the father herself. Not that she would have shared that information with Elena, of course.

"Why would Damon think you did?" she frowned.

"Because father told him so, I suppose."

"And why would Giuseppe say so if it wasn't true?"

"To protect himself, of course. Elena… please… sit with me," Stefan gestured to a group of boulders by the roadside.

Hesitating, Elena took a seat on one of the smooth-surfaced stones, hot from the sun's unyielding rays.

Stefan sat down on one of the other rocks, turning towards her. "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but I hate to have you think that I am such an awful man…" he shook his head and took a deep breath before continuing.

"The estate is in trouble - that much is true. I work day and night to make the business a success, and our finances would not be so bad if we could keep the profits, but… Elena, if Rosa is pregnant, it is not my child, but it _is_ a Salvatore."

"Wait- are you saying… your _father_?" Elena gawked.

"The Salvatore name would be put to shame if the truth came out. It is better for people to think that the youngest son is the one making trouble for the family."

"So… _you'_ve been covering for your father all these years – not the other way around?"

Elena couldn't believe her ears. Still, it made sense. _Nonna_ had said that Giuseppe turned to booze and women when his wife fell ill. But she also said Stefan followed his example. Elena didn't know what to think.

"Please, Elena, do not tell Damon what I have just told you. It is better he thinks he's saving _me_. If he knew the estate was in trouble because of father…" Stefan shook his head. "Please, promise me."

"I don't feel comfortable keeping secrets from Damon," Elena objected.

"I would not ask you to if I didn't think it would only do more harm for him to know."

"All right," Elena said after a moment's consideration. "I promise."

Stefan looked incredibly relieved, as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and flashed Elena a warm smile.

"Would you like to go back to the house now?"

"Actually…" Elena thought about her conversation with Giuseppe and shuddered. No, she was in no hurry to get back there. "I would like to go shopping. Is there a car I can borrow?"

"I'll drive you," Stefan volunteered.

"No, really, that's not necessary…"

"Oh, but I insist. I could do some shopping, too."

* * *

><p>Elena ended up having a rather pleasant day in Stefan's company. They had lunch in a city Elena didn't know the name of, and then they met back at the car after a couple of hours of shopping on their own.<p>

Elena hadn't really brought a lot of particularly sexy dresses for this trip – she wasn't expecting things to change between her and Damon when she packed for Italy – and so she was happy to get the chance to revamp her wardrobe. Aside from a couple of dresses, she also bought some lingerie and beauty products.

_Nonna_ asked to see what was in Elena's bags when they got back, and Elena handed them over, blushing slightly as _nonna_ perused the contents. _Nonna_ simply nodded in approval and told her to call Damon to let him know he should hurry back.

* * *

><p>After having had dinner with <em>nonna<em> and Stefan – Giuseppe and John took theirs in the study – Elena excused herself and went upstairs for the night. She crept up on the bed and got out her cell phone to call Damon.

"_Hey_," he answered on the first ring.

"Hi. Are you busy?"

"_I just got back to the hotel, actually. Was thinking about having a shower… but then I started thinking about having a shower with _you_ and I got distracted…"_

Elena couldn't help giggling. "Well, I wouldn't want to keep you…"

"_No, I much prefer the real thing…_" Elena could practically hear him smirking. "_Tell me about your day_," he said casually.

"Well… I went shopping," Elena said in a positive tone, pushing back the memory of the less happy events of the day.

"_Yeah? Alone?"_

"No… um… Stefan drove me into town."

"_Stefan?"_

"He was perfectly polite, Damon."

"_I'm sure_," he said sourly.

"Oh, come on…" Elena rolled her eyes.

"_I'm sorry. I trust you. It's just_…"

"We had a nice time today, Damon. I was really upset and…" Elena caught herself too late and clamped a hand over her mouth.

"_You were upset? Why? What happened?"_ Damon asked, concerned.

"Don't worry about it, ok?"

"_Tell me,"_ he insisted. "_Did someone say something to you?"_

"It was nothing. I overreacted."

"_Elena_…"

"Listen, I don't want to talk about it, ok? Just know that I had a nice day with my future brother-in-law and you have absolutely nothing to worry about."

"_So… what did you do?"_

"We went shopping. Separately."

"_Buy anything nice?"_

"I did…" Elena smiled.

"_Like…?"_

"I bought a couple of new dresses."

"_Anything else?"_

"Some schampoo."

"_And…?_"

"And I found this really cute little lingerie boutique…"

"_Now you're talking…"_

Elena giggled at his approving tone.

"_What did you get?"_

"Well… there's lace… and silk…"

"_So… are you wearing them right now_?"

"No."

"_Could you be_?"

A moment's pause.

"Hang on."


	13. Chapter 13

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Thank you for all your sweet reviews. This chapter… well, what can I say? It was really uncomfortable to write, but I hope it turned out ok. This is definitely no longer a romantic comedy… not that it ever really was (I'm not that funny)… Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ XIII ~

* * *

><p>Damon had to stay and work out the details with the lawyers for several days, and even though he and Elena talked every night, the days still passed at an excruciatingly slow pace.<p>

Elena managed to avoid Giuseppe, though, for which she was incredibly grateful. She wasn't sure she would be able to refrain from slapping him if he so much as looked at her again.

She spent her days with _nonna_, learning to cook and listening to her stories. An idea started to form in Elena's head, but she was nervous about bringing it up.

Elena and Stefan were getting along much like brother and sister, and she was becoming increasingly convinced of his relative innocence in the drama that surrounded the family. So when she pondered whether or not to discuss her idea with _nonna_, she confided in him.

"I want to write _nonna_'s story," she said as they were having drinks in the garden. "But I'm afraid to ask her."

"Why? I'm sure she'd love that."

"You think? I mean, I don't want her to think I'm using her or anything… it's just… I haven't wanted to write for a really long time, and I'm so inspired by her."

"Then you should definitely ask her about it. _Nonna_ loves telling people her stories, it's like she gets to relive her past every time she does."

"Yeah, I've notice how her eyes sparkle when she starts reminiscing. So you think she'd agree?"

"I think she'd be honored," Stefan smiled.

"Ok. I'll ask," Elena said and sipped her drink. "Listen, would you do something for me?"

"Anything for my sister-in-law," Stefan smiled.

Elena chuckled. "Thanks. Not there yet, but… Ok, so Damon's coming back tomorrow night, and I really want to surprise him."

"What did you have in mind?"

"A romantic dinner in the winery? Would that be ok?"

"Of course. I'll help you set it up."

"Thank you."

"What do you need?"

"Um… red roses… a white linen tablecloth… candlelight… classical music… Chianti…"

"That's… very specific," Stefan commented.

"I'm recreating his proposal," Elena explained. "I've asked _nonna_ to help me prepare the food, but I was hoping you could help with the wine. I know you don't produce it here, but…"

"I know other winemakers. It won't be a problem," Stefan confirmed.

"Great. And can you maybe trick him into going to the winery? Make up an emergency or something? I just want him to be really surprised."

"Don't worry, Elena. I will make sure he is surprised."

"Great. Well, I should go talk to _nonna_ about the book. See you later," Elena said and headed back inside. On her way there, she passed John Gilbert and they glared at each other, but neither of them spoke.

* * *

><p>"Hi, <em>nonna,<em>" Elena said, entering the kitchen to find Sophia looking through cookbooks.

"_Cara_! I was just getting the recipes for your dinner. Come, look," she gestured for Elena to take a seat at the table. "Saltimbocca, as you requested."

"Thank you, _nonna_. I was actually wondering…"

"Yes, _cara_?"

"You know I want to be an editor… well, growing up, my biggest dream was to be a writer, but I just never found my story… Does that make sense?"

"You lacked passion," Sophia supplied.

"Yes… I suppose so."

"And you have found it here."

"I think so… _Nonna_, you are an amazing woman, and I would be honored if you would allow me to write your story."

"_My_ story? Why would you want to write about an old woman when you have so much to tell about your own life?"

"You have lived such a fascinating life, _nonna_. I think people would be inspired by your story, just like I have been."

"Well, of course you may write about me, _cara_, if you wish.

"Thank you, _nonna."_

"Now, shall we get started on the tiramisu?"

* * *

><p>Elena was nervous. Damon was coming back late, and <em>nonna<em> had gone to bed after having left Elena with the final instructions for the dinner. While Stefan was setting up the table and the music, Elena went to shower and change.

She put on one of the dresses she had bought – a red spaghetti-strapped chiffon dress which flowed down to her knees – and did her hair and makeup before heading back to the winery.

The winery was situated a couple of minutes' walk from the main building and her strappy heels dug into the gravel as she walked.

When she arrived, she found everything to be in order except for the final touches. Soft classical music was playing and the table was set. Smiling, Elena picked up a rose, stripped it of its petals and strew them over the white linen tablecloth.

"Perfect," she said to herself as she finished lighting the candles and took a step back to survey the scene.

"Yes, you are," a voice drawled from behind her.

Startled, Elena spun around to find Stefan looking her over appreciatively.

"Stefan!" she gasped, covering her heart. "You scared me."

"I apologize," he said smoothly.

"No, it's fine… I guess I'm nervous, is all… I don't know why…" she shook her head at her silliness. "Well, Damon should return any minute now – you should probably go back to the house and intercept him like we planned."

"We have time…" Stefan said intently, stepping closer.

"Uh…" Elena instinctively reeled back. "No, if he goes inside and sees I'm not there he'll worry and it'll ruin the surprise."

"Sch," Stefan said, putting a finger to her lips to silence her. "My brother will have his surprise. I promise."

"Stefan… what are you…" Elena frowned as he stepped closer still.

The confusion in her eyes quickly turned into a look of sheer panic as his lips crashed down on hers.

* * *

><p>Damon was excited. He felt like a schoolboy on his way to his first date – only this night wouldn't end in a sloppy kiss on the cheek. He couldn't wait to hold Elena in his arms again. How could he possibly have resisted her for so long? Now that he'd had a taste of her, he was insatiable. The best part was that she was equally hungry for <em>him<em>.

As he pulled into the driveway, he found himself in a sensationally good mood. Nothing would put a damper on his night now.

That conviction faltered when he met John Gilbert in the doorway.

"Move," he growled and pushed past him.

"If you're looking for your partner in crime, you won't find her in there," John said casually, lounging against the doorpost, his arms crossed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Damon growled and grabbed John by his shirt collar.

"It seems your so-called 'fiancée' prefers the company of your brother," John drawled. "I saw them heading to the winery together, looking awfully cozy…"

"You're lying," Damon hissed.

"By all means, go see for yourself…" John made a sweeping gesture.

* * *

><p>"Stefan! What are you doing?" Elena put her hands on his chest, trying to push him away.<p>

"Don't worry, baby, no-one will find us," he said, licking her neck.

"I'm not your 'baby'," Elena growled, pushing at him. He didn't move an inch.

"Whatever you say, _puttana_. I can tell from the way you look at me that you want me.

_Slap._

Stefan's eyes darkened along with his cheek.

"Mm…" he practically purred, "I like it when they fight…"

The next thing she knew, he had her pinned against the wall, and was stifling her screams with his mouth. Elena started kicking wildly when one of his hands moved up her dress.

"No underwear…" he smirked. "You make it too easy, _puttana_."

Elena took the opportunity of his lips leaving hers to scream at the top of her lungs. "Da-mon!"

Stefan clamped a hand over her mouth, banging her head against the wall. "He doesn't care about you. You're just a means to an end."

"Elena!" the door to the winery flew open and in the doorway stood a man with hair and clothes so black he melted into the night, his blue eyes the only thing burning in the darkness.

"Brother," Stefan said flippantly. "How nice of you to join us. We weren't expecting you back so soon."

"Get the hell away from her, Stefan," Damon growled.

Stefan released Elena and she ran into Damon's arms, burying her face in his leather jacket.

"Are you ok?" he whispered against her hair.

Elena shook her head, sobbing into his chest.

"Oh, she's good," Stefan mocked. "Nice touch with the whole 'damsel-in-distress' act. Kudos."

"Shut your mouth or I'll shut it _for_ you. Permanently."

"Oh, come on, I was doing you a favor. It was only a matter of time before she would turn to me. She only agreed to marry you for a promotion."

"At least I gave her a choice. I didn't try to force myself on her."

"Some choice," Stefan scoffed. "'Marry me or lose your job'."

"That's not what happened," Damon said between clenched teeth.

"But you _did_ ask her to marry you for a green card."

"And she agreed of her own free will," Damon spat out.

"And there we have it," a voice drawled from behind them. John was holding up a tape recorder with a smug smile on his face.

"Thank you, Mr. Salvatore. You have been quite co-operative," he smiled at Stefan.

"Miss Gilbert and I will leave in the morning. Say your goodbyes tonight," he said to Damon, who was seething.

Elena sniffled, and Damon decided to get her back to the house before she had to endure any more of this drama.

"_We_ are far from done here," he glared at Stefan and scooped Elena up in his arms. She clung to his neck, keeping her eyes closed.

When Damon and Elena were out of earshot, Stefan turned to John. "I assume there's a seat for _me _on that plane, as well…"

"There is not."

"But… I don't understand. I kept my promise. I did my part."

"I told you to seduce her, not try to rape her. That instantly disqualifies you for citizenship."

"You son of a…" Stefan growled, taking a few menacing steps towards John.

"Easy there," John said patronizingly. "I _should_ hand you over to the authorities – or to your brother – but I'm giving you a chance to get away. Something you clearly haven't offered any of your previous… victims."

"Willing participants, all of them," Stefan scoffed.

"I'm sure…" John rolled his eyes. "Who would be able to resist a virile man such as yourself?" With that, John walked away, content with the way things had worked out. Giuseppe would pay him well for getting Elena out of the picture and Damon deported to Italy. Not to mention the promotion he would receive for his outstanding work.

* * *

><p>Damon gently placed Elena down on the bed, but she refused to let go of him, her tiny arms locked tight around his neck. He had never seen her so fragile.<p>

"Sch, sweetie, it's ok. I'm just gonna take off my jacket, ok?"

Reluctantly, she released him and he quickly shrugged out of his jacket and crept up on the bed with her.

"I'm so sorry, Damon," she sniffed. "I… I wanted to surprise you. I cooked you dinner and I was going to…" _sniff_ "…ask you to marry me." _Sniff._ "Instead, I… he…"

"Sch, it's ok."

"I thought he was my friend, Damon. I thought he wanted to help me surprise you…"

"It wasn't your fault," Damon stroked her hair. "It's him. There's something wrong with him. I never should have left you behind."

"I would never… you know that, right?" she sniveled.

"Of course. I love you."

Elena stopped sniffling. The room fell silent except for their breathing – and then that stopped, too.

"What did you say?" she whispered, looking up into his cerulean eyes that told her he meant every word.

"I love you, Elena Gilbert."

"I…"

"It's ok, you don't have to say it back. In fact, it might be best if you don't. Tomorrow, they'll take you away from me, and I can't promise I won't rip John Gilbert to shreds if you say it back."

"I can't lose you…" Elena breathed.

"You won't," Damon said softly, pushing a stray hair behind her ear. "I promise."

* * *

><p>Stefan was livid. He had betrayed his brother for the promise of a new life. He had spread lies about his father and sullied the Salvatore name. He would burn for this.<p>

Consumed by rage, Stefan toppled the table and threw it into a rack of wine bottles. Stefan barely had time to register what was happening before a falling wine bottle knocked him out cold.

With the alcohol, the hay from the loft strewn on the floor and the flame of the knocked over candles, the fire spread incredibly fast.

The flames licked Stefan's body, lapping him up until it devoured him completely.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: First of all, I have to thank you all for your amazing support for this story. I have enjoyed every minute of writing it and reading your comments on it. I didn't realize it when I started writing this chapter that it would be my last. I often get the comment that my endings seem rushed, though, so this time I took the question to my tweeps – should I post the epilogue or try to write more chapters? So… here's what I did. I posted the "Epilogue" (final chapter) on LJ. I will try to write several more chapters here on ff-net. So, without further ado, here's chapter 14. Oh, and btw, I'm making stuff up for the purpose of this story – that's why they call it fiction, right? : ) Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ XIV ~

* * *

><p>It was John Gilbert who first noticed the smoke. He ran back to the winery but the building was all in flames. He called 115* but when the fire department arrived at the scene, it was too late. The building was lost to the world. As later confirmed by the coroner, so was Stefan.<p>

John Gilbert, under duress of Sophia and her rolling pin, as well as being asked to give a statement of the events of the night of the fire, wisely chose to postpone their departure by a few days.

The Salvatore household was in a state of shock. Sophia, Giuseppe, Damon and Elena sat in silence around the dining room table, none of them in a mood to eat any of the food that the neighbors had brought along with their condolences. Giuseppe abandoned his wine for Grappa and locked himself in his study.

* * *

><p>"I called Giada and Graziella," Damon said to Sophia when they were in the kitchen, cooking. "I couldn't get a hold of Giacomo, but Giada said she would call him. They should be here in a matter of days."<p>

"Thank you, _caro_," Sophia said, stroking his cheek affectionately. "I am so happy you are here."

"I'm so sorry, _nonna_. If I hadn't come back…"

"Stop right there, _caro_," Sophia said forcefully. "If you had not come here to introduce your lovely _fidanzata_, it would have been an even greater tragedy. Stefan was foolish, and one day he would have paid for his past mistakes. You and Elena had no hand in his demise."

"That's not true, _nonna._ If I hadn't been so desperate to stay in the States, I wouldn't have forced Elena to marry me, John would never have come here and tried to expose us, and Stefan wouldn't have tried to…"

"If, if, if… such a small word…. If you hadn't felt forced to marry, you may never have let yourself love Elena. Would you wish to have that undone?"

"I can't imagine my life without her…"

"Then have no regrets, _caro_," Sophia said warmly. "Be grateful you have her by your side, to seek solace in."

"She won't be for long… John Gilbert is determined to take her away from me."

"Then you explain to him that he does not tell you how to live your life," Sophia said, hands firmly planted on her hips.

* * *

><p>"That woman ruined my sons," Giuseppe growled. "I want her out of my house and out of this country."<p>

"I understand, sir," John said and poured the older man another drink. "I will see to it."

"_Bene_."

_Knock_.

"_Entrare!"_

"Father," Damon greeted the elder Salvatore.

"Son."

"I wish to speak with Mr. Gilbert, if you could spare his company."

"I could… if you call Rosa to come in here."

"_Certo_, father," Damon agreed and went to get Rosa to tell her that Giuseppe wished to speak with her.

Damon and John walked outside while Giuseppe instructed Rosa and told her to tell Elena he wished to speak with her. Rosa complied.

There was a tentative knock on the door moments later and Giuseppe told her to enter.

"You asked to see me, Mr. Salvatore?" Elena said timidly, her rage having been replaced by genuine sympathy for the man who had lost a son.

"I did. Have a seat, Miss Gilbert," he commanded, gesturing to the chair John had vacated.

"You have stayed here long enough," he said, getting straight to the point as was his habit. "I have told Rosa to pack your belongings."

Elena's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

"This is _my_ home, Miss Gilbert, and your presence here is no longer desired."

"I'm sorry if I've done something to offend you, but…"

"_If_? _You_ are the reason my son is dead," he growled, his green eyes burning into her. "You turned my sons against each other. If you hadn't seduced my son, then cast him aside as soon as Damon returned, Stefan never would have been left heartbroken and angry in that building. You should have burned for your sins, not he."

Elena flew out of the chair. "Your precious son tried to rape me!" she spat out. "I didn't do anything wrong!"

Giuseppe moved with a swiftness that was unexpected for a man his age and condition, grabbing Elena by the throat and pushing her up against the wall.

"_Puttana_!" he hissed and spat at her. "Do _not _speak ill of the dead in _my_ home! You will leave this place and never return, or so help me, I will track you down and make you pay for your mistakes, and Damon will never see his family again." With that, he released her and Elena slumped to the floor, clutching her soon-to-be-bruised neck, gasping for air.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the garden, Damon and John were having a similar conversation.<p>

"I will be leaving Italy in a few hours," John announced.

"That's the best news I've heard in weeks," Damon responded.

"Miss Gilbert will be leaving with me."

"Like hell she will," Damon growled.

"I'm afraid you don't have a say in the matter, Mr. Salvatore."

"We're getting married."

"Let's get one thing straight. I could care less about your relationship. Let her go in peace, and she will have a chance to get her old life back. Try to stop us and I'll have you arrested."

"You can't do that."

"Can't I? You are no longer welcome in the United States. Leaving the country while under investigation was a bad move, Mr. Salvatore."

"What? It was _you _who told us to go to Italy in the first place!"

"Furthermore," John continued, ignoring Damon's protests," if you try to enter the country, I will make sure Miss Gilbert spends the next five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit fraud."

"You…" Damon's fists clenched at his sides and his face muscles twitched in anger.

"Oh, _do_ take a swing, Mr. Salvatore," John drawled. "Assaulting a federal officer looks lovely on a visa application."

Damon clenched his jaw, seething.

"Oh, I see you won't need to make a decision after all, Mr. Salvatore," John smirked, looking over Damon's shoulder. "It seems Miss Gilbert has come to her senses all on her own."

Damon spun around to see Elena's bags being loaded into the trunk of a rental car, and Elena making her way over to it, dark sunglasses masking her features.

"Elena!" he ran to her, catching up to her just as she was about to get into the car.

She had a silk scarf tied around her neck, despite the heat, and her dark sunglasses shielded her eyes from his scrutinizing gaze.

"You're leaving?" he breathed in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, Damon. I have to."

"No! No, we'll get married tomorrow – tonight. I can't lose you!"

"You're gonna have to let me go, Damon," she said quietly.

"Where's this coming from?"

"It's for the best. I have to go. I have to sort out my life before I can start a new one. And you…" she added, her hands reaching out to straighten his collar, "… you need to be here for your family. _They _need you."

"And you're saying you don't?"

"I don't," Elena said, her throat and eyes burning with impossible grief.

She hated lying to him. She _did_ need him. She needed him like she needed air to breathe. But she couldn't be selfish. If she stayed in Italy, Giuseppe would disown him, he would be cut off from his family. Elena couldn't let that happen. He had already lost a brother, he couldn't lose anyone else.

"At least look me in the eyes and tell me you don't need me in your life," Damon implored her.

Elena took a deep breath and removed her sunglasses. Her eyes were puffy and red. "I have to leave, Damon," she said, her voice a mere whisper. "Please don't make this any harder," she pleaded.

Damon cupped her face with his hands, his eyes locked with hers. "I'm not giving up on you," he said in a low voice.

"Promise?" Elena blinked back tears. What happened to being strong? What happened to walking away and never looking back?

"I promise," he said and closed the distance between them with a searing kiss.

"All very touching," John drawled, clearing his throat, "but we have a plane to catch."

Elena felt Damon tense, his whole body poised for a fight, and she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck, holding him close. "He's not worth it," she whispered in his ear. "Please, Damon."

He reluctantly let her go and she stepped into the car.

"Tell _nonna_ goodbye for me… I couldn't find her… tell her…"

Damon nodded in understanding. "There's no need for goodbyes. I'll tell her she'll see you soon."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Damon."

"I never do," he said softly and caressed her cheek before the car door closed.

* * *

><p>"<em>Signora, signora,<em>" Rosa came running into the kitchen about an hour after Elena left.

Sophia had been to the post office to send thank you cards in response to the many condolences they had received – news certainly travelled fast – and was shocked to learn that during the time she had been gone, Elena had been packed up and sent off. Sophia had gone straight to Giuseppe to tell him off, knowing full well that Elena wouldn't have come to such a decision on her own. He refused to speak with her and had locked himself in the study.

"What is it, Rosa?"

"It's _signore_ Damon, _signora_. He is at the winery."

"Watch the soup, yes?" Sophia said and hurried over to the winery.

She could hear him before she saw him.

Damon had found a sledgehammer in the tool shed and was thrashing what was left of the burnt structure, pulverizing the charred wood into ashes.

Sophia stopped a few paces from him. "_Caro_…" she said, her voice filled with compassion.

He turned to look at her, his hair tousled and his eyes red. "How come everything I love gets taken away?" he sobbed.

"_Caro_…" Sophia held out her arms and Damon dropped the sledgehammer and accepted her comforting embrace.

"I loved him, _nonna_. I wanted to kill him for what he did to Elena, but I didn't want him to die. How does that make any sense?"

"It's not supposed to, _caro_," she said in a soothing voice, stroking his hair. "It's family. It's always complicated."

"Elena said my family needs me more than she does," Damon said, pulling away.

"I think she will come to realize that is not true, _caro_. And when she does, she will come back to you. Let her have this time to think and she will be stronger for it."

"I really made a mess of things, didn't I, _nonna_?" Damon sighed and raked a hand through his hair.

"Love is messy, _caro_. The heart knows not to listen to reason."

"So what do I do?"

"You listen to your heart, _caro_. But first, you give her time to listen to hers, yes?"

"_Signora, signora!"_ Rosa came running towards them.

"Yes?"

"They have arrived, _signora_."

"_Bene_. Come, Damon, it's a time for family to come together. Your aunts and uncle will be happy to see you."

"Somehow I doubt that," Damon muttered under his breath but followed her back to the main house.

* * *

><p>* 115 is the emergency number for Italy's fire department. 112 is Europe's general emergency number, as 911 is to the States. When travelling to another country, it is adviced that you find out the emergency phone numbers valid in that country. Therefore, we can assume that John Gilbert knew which number to dial.<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: Thank you all for reading and reviewing. A special thank you to __**carillon14**__ for being a great language consultant : ) Sorry if there's not a lot happening in this chapter, this is why I usually brush past these kind of things... Enjoy!_

_PS: This is purely a work of fiction and should in no way be construed as a how-to guide on immigration… I'm making stuff up as I go along…_

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><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ XV ~

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><p>Elena sat down her bags inside her empty apartment. It felt as if she'd been gone for months, when it was really less than two weeks. A feeling of crippling emptiness washed over her and she tumbled into bed, where her sobs made her body convulse.<p>

All the hurt and grief finally connected with her body and she felt every insult, every hateful word that had been uttered tear into her flesh like a rabid dog. She cried.

She cried for the mess she was in. She cried for the love she lost before it even really began. She cried for the Salvatores, for their loss of a son, a grandson, a nephew, a cousin, a brother. She cried for _nonna_. She cried for Damon. She even cried for Giuseppe and Stefan.

Finally, her tear ducts ran dry and a new resolve was formed. She would make things right. First thing on her list? Resign.

She called Elijah and informed him she would not be returning to Smith Publishing. The second call she made was to her landlord, terminating her lease. The third call went to her parents.

"Mom? I'm coming home."

* * *

><p>It was a Salvatore family reunion of mixed emotions. Grief was a key ingredient, naturally, but Damon's aunts and uncle also expressed joy that they could meet again after so many years. His nieces and nephews were equally thrilled. Perhaps more so, since some of them were too young to understand what dismal occurrence had brought about this family gathering.<p>

Giuseppe did his best to avoid his sisters and brother, but Graziella, who was the second-born of Sophia's children, was quickly fed up with her older brother's reclusive behavior and quite forcefully told him so. After their row, Giuseppe finally started attending whenever there was food on the table. Which, it seemed, there often was.

One night, Damon found himself wandering in the vineyard, trying to get a moment to himself. With a house full of people – even a castle could be overcrowded where there were Salvatores involved – there was not much time for quiet reflection.

He was exhausted. The nieces and nephews constantly begged him to entertain them and there were decisions to be made regarding Stefan's – albeit small – inheritance. Damon tried to convince Giuseppe that Rosa's child should be named as heir, but the old man refused to acknowledge the unborn child as Stefan's until sufficient evidence could be produced to support such a claim.

Damon was fed up with his father's stubborn ways and wanted nothing more than to leave this place and never look back. But where would he go? The only place he wanted to be was with Elena, and John Gilbert had made it perfectly clear that entering the US would only separate them further. He couldn't let her go to jail. He couldn't ask her to give up her life and her career for him. He couldn't be that selfish. So when they talked on the phone, he didn't bring it up. Neither did she.

"_Buonasera_, Damon," a melodious voice interrupted his thoughts and he turned to see Giada coming towards him, a shawl around her shoulders to shield her bare arms from the chilliness the setting sun had left behind.

"_Zietta_," he greeted her with a smile and a peck on the cheek. "Are the little ones asleep?"

"They are," she smiled. "Marcello can't stop talking about the car you're going to let him drive..." she cocked an eyebrow.

"I never said that, _zia_, I promise," Damon said, raising his hands and laughing. "I said he could sit in it. I have no intention of handing him the keys," he assured her.

"Good to know," Giada laughed.

"So, Damon," she said in a more serious, compassionate tone, "why are you out walking by yourself?"

"I just have a lot of things on my mind, _zia_."

"_Mamma_ told me about your _fidanzata_. Why did she leave?"

"_Nonna_ didn't tell you the whole story, then," Damon deduced.

"She told me you asked a beautiful woman to marry you and she accepted. She also said Stefan… is that why she left?"

"No. It's complicated, _zia_," Damon sighed, raking a hand through his hair.

"I have had four children, _caro_, I _know_ complications."

"I messed up. I was supposed to stay in the States while my permanent visa application was being processed, and I thought too highly of myself to send someone else to this stupid book fair," Damon shook his head.

"You're allowed to stay in the States if you marry one of its citizens. I was in a meeting with my bosses when my assistant came in. She said the word 'engaged' and something in my brain just clicked. I told my bosses I was getting married. Elena was in the room, and I just…"

"So you didn't have feelings for her when you asked her to marry you?"

"Not that I was aware of. I mean, I liked having her around. She deserved a promotion, and I kept promising she would get it, when in reality, I didn't want to lose her. We just worked so well together."

"And then…"

"Then she made this crazy demand that I propose for real, and I started thinking about how I would propose to the woman I love, what she would want… and Elena's image popped into my head. I planned the proposal with her in mind, and I found myself wanting to get to know her."

"And you fell in love," Giada deduced.

"I guess so."

"And does she feel the same way?"

"I think she does."

"Then what are you still doing here?"

"Sorry?"

"She went back to America, didn't she? Why are you still in Italy?"

"I can't go back there."

"Why not?"

"This… immigration officer threatened to have her thrown in jail if I tried to enter the country."

"Why would a perfect stranger go to all that trouble?"

"He just has it in for us, I guess."

"He stayed with you here?"

"Father invited him."

"Giuseppe? Now this starts to make more sense…"

"What do you mean?"

"Giuseppe has always been the one to boss us around. He scared off all my boyfriends. I wouldn't be married and have four children if I hadn't fled the estate."

"You think he had a hand in this?"

"I think you should find out."

* * *

><p>Elena took a deep breath, letting the fresh country air fill her lungs. Her parents had been concerned when she announced that she had quit her job and given up her apartment, but they were thrilled to have her back, and gladly let her store her belongings in their attic. Elena wanted to get a job and work out a lease agreement for the lake house, but her parents insisted she stay as long as she liked.<p>

Elena embraced the solitude and the creative atmosphere the lake house offered. _Nonna _was right, she _had_ a story to tell. So while her mother painted, Elena wrote.

"So…" Miranda said as they sat on the porch one particularly hot afternoon.

"So…?" Elena prodded as the sentence was never finished.

"He broke your heart, didn't he?"

"No, mom. It wasn't like that."

"Then… what happened?"

"His father didn't approve," Elena said simply. She hadn't told her parents about the scam. Not yet. Not until…

"What do you mean he didn't approve? Anyone would be lucky to have you as a daughter-in-law! Besides, since when do 30-something businessmen take orders from their parents?"

"Damon doesn't know, ok? He would sever all ties with his father if he found out Giuseppe was the reason I left. Family's too important. I know how much I've hurt you by not keeping in touch, and I'm sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you. Being around Damon's grandmother had helped me appreciate the value of family. I can't ask Damon to give that up."

"So why did you quit your job and give up your apartment? You've worked so hard at your career and now you're just gonna throw it all away?"

"There's nothing for me at Smith Publishing. With Damon gone, Katherine Pierce will take over his accounts, and she would have fired me the first chance she got. Besides, I've come to realize I'm wasting my life pursuing a career that isn't my passion. Going to Italy unlocked something for me… I want to write, and I have a story to tell. I don't care if I have to support myself scrubbing toilets if I can dedicate my spare time to my true passion."

"And it has nothing to do with Damon Salvatore?" Miranda raised her eyebrows.

"I can write anywhere in the world, mom. At a lake house in Mystic Falls or an apartment in Rome."

"Rome? I thought he had a vineyard in Tuscany?"

"Giuseppe doesn't want me there. I'm not asking Damon to give up his family responsibilities, but he could visit me in Rome. Smith Publishing has an office there. I could find work as an assistant, or I could find a waitressing job somewhere."

"But you can't just pick up and leave and move to another country, Elena. There are immigration laws to consider."

"I know. But I've been doing some research. If I could get my book published, I could qualify as an 'artist', which makes it easier to speed up the approval process. Or I could ask Damon to sponsor me…"

"Or you could just get married and live wherever you wanted," Miranda suggested.

"Yeah… about that… mom, there's something I should probably tell you…"

* * *

><p>"Father? Are you still up?" Damon said as he pushed open the door to the study to find Giuseppe in his chair, drinking his Grappa.<p>

"What does it look like?" Giuseppe muttered.

"Well, I'm glad you're still awake. I wanted to discuss something with you."

"If you're here to try to convince me to give Rosa Stefan's inheritance you're wasting your breath. I told you I wanted proof before I even considered it."

"It's not about Rosa, father," Damon said and closed the door behind him. "It's about Elena."

"Do not dare to mention her name in my presence," Giuseppe growled.

"She has done nothing to offend you, father."

"She killed my son!"

"That's a lie, and you know it. What happened to Stefan was an accident. Elena had no part in it."

"I say she did."

"And since when does your word outweigh the truth? You say I cannot be trusted to keep my promises, but can you? What about your promise to _mamma_? What about your wedding vows? Did you not promise to love and honor her in sickness and in health? Yet that didn't stop you from screwing every woman in sight while she was on her death bed!"

"Watch your tongue, son," Giuseppe said warningly and moved out of his chair, stumbling slightly as he approached him. "I am still your father."

"You can't even stand up straight for all the booze you've poured down your throat! You don't deserve my respect! I've never respected you. I feared you because of what you were capable of. Well, I'm not afraid anymore, and you will never lay a hand on me or anyone else ever again if I have anything to say about it."

"Oh, so macho…" Giuseppe scoffed. "Tell me, where were you when your mother was dying? Where were you when Stefan was spinning out of control? Where were you when there were decisions to be made? You've never taken responsibility for anything in your whole life, Damon. You make empty promises and empty threats and everyone knows it. Who fears _you_?"

"I don't want to be feared."

"No, you want to be _respected_," Giuseppe mocked. "Well, fear gets more results than respect. How do you think I got your little _puttana_ to leave the country, huh?"

"What did you say?"

"You heard me."

"So it _was_ you. After everything… I didn't think my own father would go that far to ruin my happiness. I should have known better," Damon shook his head. "You always were a soulless bastard."

"Happiness? Hah," Giuseppe scoffed. "I spared you from a lifetime of grief spent with a woman who only wanted you for your money."

"Let's get one thing straight, father. I will _always_ choose Elena. I'm willing to shoulder my responsibilities and turn this estate around, but I will give it up in a heartbeat if she asks me to."

"You're a fool, Damon."

"Maybe so. But at least _I_ won't die miserable and alone." With that, he exited the study, slamming the door shut behind him.

* * *

><p>"He was marrying you for a green card?" Miranda shrieked. "How could you be so naïve, Elena? You're lucky you didn't end up in jail!"<p>

"Well, I didn't," Elena shrugged.

"Don't give me that, young lady. You're not 16 anymore. If you go around making stupid decisions there _will_ be repercussions."

"I know I messed up. But I fell in love with him, a little bit every day. We were supposed to get married and get divorced and walk away, but something changed. Now, all I want is to be with him. I want to spend the rest of my life with him, mom."

"Does he feel the same way?"

"I'm pretty sure he does."

"Then… you better include me in your wedding plans this time," Miranda said sternly.

Elena smiled. "I will, mom. I promise."


	16. Chapter 16

_**Disclaimer**__: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended._

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note<strong>__: I'm so sorry, but this will have to be the final chapter – including an epilogue because it'll be too short to call a chapter otherwise… Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. I hope I didn't disappoint you… Enjoy!_

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><p>Promises, Promises<p>

~ XVI ~

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><p>"Why didn't you tell me?" Damon said as soon as Elena picked up the phone.<p>

She knew straight away what he was talking about. "I couldn't."

"Why would you want to protect him?"

"I wasn't protecting _him_. I was protecting _you_. Your relationship is already so strained, and I couldn't bear to be the one to widen the gap between you. Especially after what happened to Stefan."

"The issues between my father and I are _our_ issues. He had no right to bring you into it."

"It doesn't change anything, Damon. I won't make you choose between me and your family."

"And that's one of the many reasons why I choose _you_, Elena. You're selfless and caring and I'm sure the rest of my family will love you as much as I do. Or, no, on second thought, I don't think that's humanly possible."

"Damon, I…"

"I'm not asking you to give up your career or your life in the States for me, but I want you to come back to Italy and meet my aunts and uncle. _Nonna_'s been asking about you, and I…"

"Damon," Elena stopped him. "I quit my job."

"What? I thought you were just taking some time off to see your family?"

"Well, I did… only permanently. I resigned and I gave up my lease. I've put everything into storage and I'm staying in my parents lake house until…"

"Until what?" Damon said breathlessly.

"Until I figure out a way to relocate to Italy."

"Really?"

"I was thinking I could find a job at Smith Publishing's subsidiary in Rome. Elijah said he would write me a letter of recommendation if I decided to apply for a position there."

"Is this really what you want?"

"I want to write. I want to give it a chance for real and I want to be close to you. I know I'm not welcome at the estate, but…"

"If my father says you're not welcome here, I'll leave the estate in a heartbeat."

"No, Damon, that's exactly what I _didn't_ want to happen."

"I don't care, Elena. I want to be with you. Whatever it takes."

"So I can book my flight back to Italy?" Elena said, biting her lip.

"If you don't, I might hijack a plan and pick you up myself."

Elena laughed. "Then I'd better start looking for tickets."

* * *

><p>Elena looked nervously around the arrivals hall, trying to find a familiar face in the crowd. Not just any face. Damon's.<p>

When she spotted him, her whole face lit up and she ran into his arms. They clung to one another for dear life, only pulling back to reacquaint their lips with each other.

"There's no way I'm letting you go now," Damon murmured against her lips.

"Well, I could only get a three month visa, so I'm gonna have to go back to the States for a little while before…"

"Marry me."

"I'm not marrying you to stay in the country, Damon," she shook her head.

"Who said that's why I'm proposing?"

"Are you…" Elena looked at him, dumbfounded.

"I know it's not as romantic as the first one, but…" he reached into his back pocket and produced an antique looking ring and slipped it on her finger. "It was _nonna_'s. She wanted you to have it. _I_ wanted you to have it. So what do you say to a wedding in Tuscany?" he looked at her in anticipation.

"I promised my mom I would let her help with the planning…"

"Then we'll fly her in. Your whole family," Damon said, suddenly enthusiastic.

"What about your father?"

"My father doesn't get a say."

Elena fell silent, trying to collect her thoughts.

"Running out of excuses, aren't you?" Damon smiled.

"I'm just overwhelmed… but of course the answer's yes, Damon. Yes, I'll marry you."

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><p>EPILOGUE<p>

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><p>When Elena finished the novel she had begun working on at the lake house, she sent out her draft to several publishers under an alias. Eventually, she found an editor willing to take a chance on her, and months later, when she received a number of copies of the finished product, she got out a pen and wrote a special dedication in one of the books.<p>

_Dear Sir,_

_I have changed the names to protect the innocent. Unfortunately, that also means protecting the guilty. This is a true story, and You should know that the character James Gerbil is an exact depiction of Your immigration officer John Gilbert, whom I believe was recently promoted._

_It has been confirmed that he did in fact accept bribes, threatened and coerced impressionable minds to achieve his personal goals. What You wish to do with this information is entirely at Your disposal, but I would like to think there are still honorable men to be found in the United States government._

_Sincerely,_

_Elena Gilbert Salvatore_

Elena put down the pen and leaned back in her chair.

"You want me to bring your mail to the post office, _signora_?" the black-haired, green-eyed woman whose belly locked ready to burst at any moment asked.

"_Grazie_, Rosa, but I will take it myself. You should not be running around in this heat."

"Neither should you, _cara_," Sophia admonished her, entering the parlor with a tray of lemonade and biscotti.

"I'm fine, _nonna_, really. I'm only in the first trimester", Elena rolled her eyes. How's Giuseppe?" she asked as Sophia sat down beside her.

"Better. He has let go of his anger, and I believe the cancer respects him for it."

"_Nonna_…"

"Yes, I know, illnesses do not listen to reason," Sophia rolled her eyes. "But the truth is, he is happier than I have seen him in years. I believe you had a lot to do with that."

"Me? No, _nonna_, Giuseppe hated me, he didn't even speak to me until Damon told him the news about the baby."

"Say what you will, _cara_, but if it were not for you, Giuseppe would never have had to face the truth about his sons. Losing Stefan was devastating for him, but when Damon said he would choose you over his family any day, Giuseppe was forced to reevaluate his opinion. Then when Rosa told me what she had overheard John promise Stefan…" Sophia shook her head. "I am so proud of you for having the courage to come back. But then I always knew you were brave," Sophia smiled and sipped her lemonade.

"It wasn't bravery, _nonna_," Elena said, her heart full of warmth. "It was love. When it's real, you can't walk away."

"That is very true, _cara_."

"Did you… um… did you get a chance to look at the book I gave you?"

"I did. It's very good. But I do feel something is missing…"

"Missing? What?"

"You describe the hardships and the love that conquered all, but where was the passion?"

"You thought it lacked passion?"

"_Cara_, there can never be too much passion," Sophia winked.

"I just didn't feel comfortable writing every detail of… you know. Besides, that's your grandson!"

"I did not mean I wanted to read the details, but perhaps the rest of the world would."

"It's just… it's private."

"Well, you will have another chance for your next novel."

"I will?"

"You promised you would write my story, did you not?"

"I did," Elena smiled. "And I always keep my promises."

"Glad to hear it," a velvety voice drawled from the doorway.

"Ah, I will let you two have some time together," Sophia excused herself and kissed Elena's cheek before she left, squeezing Damon's hand as she passed him.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Salvatore," Damon said and kissed her lightly.

Elena smiled against his lips. "Don't you ever get tired of calling me that?"

"Nope."

Elena laughed and Damon flopped down beside her on the couch, flinging one arm over her shoulders and leaning down to her belly. "And good morning to you, _bambino_."

"You know, it might very well be a _bambina_…"

"Doesn't matter," Damon smiled.

"So, how's the construction work on the new winery going?"

"Actually…" he said, taking her hand in his and kissing her palm. "It should be finished later this afternoon. What do you say we christen it tonight? I had Roberto stack the hay loft..."

"I'd say… I'd like that very much, Mr. Salvatore."

THE END


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